Podcasts about chinese embassy

主播：Flora (中国) + 梅莉 (法国) 片头音乐：阳光彩虹小白马 片尾音乐：Kung Fu FightingNowadays, internet celebrities (网红) are very common. 但是今天介绍给大家的是最近火到出圈的——IShowSpeed！也就是网友口中的“甲亢哥”！01. Who is “甲亢哥” ? 他是谁？Speed (“甲亢哥”网名) is a 20-year-old YouTuber from the U.S., who went absolutely viral (走红) during his recent trip to China. His videos from this trip got millions of views (浏览量)—and not just on YouTube, but also reposted (转发) across Chinese social platforms like Bilibili, Xiaohongshu, and Douyin! One of his livestreams (直播) from China hit three million views, 有一场直播甚至长达6个小时！People call him “甲亢哥” because he is extremely energetic (活力满满) in front of the camera, always jumping around and shouting. Netizens gave him this nickname as a playful joke (玩笑话) , but it also carries a sense of affection (喜爱). The literal meaning of “甲亢哥” is hyperthyroidism.Basically, hyper energy + chaotic charm =甲亢哥hyperthyroidism 甲状腺功能亢进症02. Speed's China Tour “甲亢哥”的中国行Speed has been traveling for a while—Japan, Korea, Portugal (葡萄牙)—but his China trip hits different (有所不同). He wore a big floral padded jacket (东北大花袄), tried stinky tofu (臭豆腐), danced in public squares (跳广场舞) with kids, walked the streets of Chengdu, got mobbed (围住) by fans...He wasn't just a tourist snapping pics (打卡拍照的游客). 他真的不是“走马观花”的那种游客，而是深入体验了中国文化。当尝试臭豆腐时，他说“This smells horrible... but tastes amazing (闻起来臭，吃起来香) !”。Even though he's an international star, in China, he was completely natural—zero “celebrity distance.” (完全没有名人的那种“距离感”) 比如他会在街头吃路边摊、跟路人跳广场舞，还会用超搞笑的方式学中文。People find him really down to earth and relatable (接地气又让人有共鸣).Netizens say he's “crazy but real (疯得很真实)”. You feel like he's that hilarious (搞笑的) friend everyone has.And the way he genuinely explored China made a lot of people think: “Maybe we should be more open to other cultures, too.”03. Iconic Moments from the Comment Section 评论区名场面他的评论区有很多人留言。There is a funny comment from his kung fu video, “2% kung fu, 95% bald, 3% screaming”. 意思是他的主要“成分”是秃头和吼叫，还有一点点功夫（视频里他戴了一个光头套——bald cap）。And here's another really sweet comment from YouTube:“China stream has been by far the best stream ever for IShowSpeed. The people. The authenticity (真实). The vibe (氛围). It was all right. Never judge a book by its cover (封面). He went up against a lot of pressure not to go to China, but he did—and it turned out amazing.”“Organic interactions will always trump forced ones （自然的互动总是胜过被迫的）.”He's sincere—you can feel his genuine curiosity and reactions (真正的好奇心和互动). 04. Embassy Notices Speed's Viral Fame! “甲亢哥”火爆出圈，惊动大使馆！The Chinese Embassy in the U.S. posted about IShowSpeed's trip on X (原推特). IShowSpeed's China trip really showed people a different side of China—warm, real, full of life (温暖、真实、充满活力).IShowSpeed, an American YouTuber, has garnered (获得) immense (巨大的) attention for his travel experiences in China. He not only visited multiple cities but also immersed himself in the local culture (沉浸式体验当地文化).欢迎在评论区告诉我们： Have you watched Speed's China streams? What was your favorite part? 你有没有看过Speed的中国直播，最喜欢哪一段呢？

South Korean man dressed as 'Captain America' indicted for trying to storm Chinese Embassy, Attention spring breakers: Come and have a great time and please take the following steps to avoid contracting Dengue fever, Florida Man accused of firing rifle in target shooting session outside of apartment after being inspired by watching a war movie

Chinese citizens coming to Thailand should be vigilant not to fall into the trap of "high-paying recruitment", reminded by the Chinese Embassy in Thailand on Saturday.1月11日，中国驻泰使馆提醒来泰中国公民警惕“高薪招聘”陷阱。Chinese citizens coming to Thailand should not easily believe in false promises such as "high-paying jobs" and "free air tickets and accommodation" to avoid being deceived, said the statement.中国驻泰使馆在声明中表示，来泰中国公民不要轻信“高薪工作”、“包机票食宿”等虚假承诺，以免受骗上当。The Chinese embassy confirmed on Friday that the Chinese citizen surnamed Wang has departed from Thailand for China on Friday night following collaborative efforts from both countries.1月10日，中国驻泰使馆确认，在中泰双方的共同努力下，中国公民王某已于1月10日晚离泰回国。The Chinese embassy expressed its gratitude to the Thai government for prioritizing Wang's case, which was caused by cyber-fraud, and for promptly launching a rescue operation that ensured his safe return.针对王某遭网络诈骗一案，泰国政府高度重视，迅速展开营救行动，确保其安全回国，中国驻泰使馆对此表示感谢。vigilantadj.警觉的；警惕的

Susan Shirk discusses more events that happened during her time in the Clinton Administration, including NATO's accidental bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade, Falun Gong protests in Beijing, and Jiang Zemin's visit to the U.S.Substack: https://pekinghotel.substack.comInstagram: peking.hotelAnd please tell your friends about us! https://pekinghotel.substack.com/p/do-you-enjoy-reading-peking-hotel Get full access to Peking Hotel at pekinghotel.substack.com/subscribe

This week Merlin Fulcher is joined by the architectural worker, writer and editors of the magazine Failed Architecture to discuss: Rachel Reeves commits £500 million pounds more for affordable housing // Leading economist calls on Labour to spend large on arts and culture projects // David Chipperfield's Chinese Embassy plans called in by Angela Rayner // And reflecting on the centenary of the British Empire Exhibition at WembleyTo help support excellent and accessible, independent journalism about the buildings and the urban environment, please become an Open City friend by clicking here.The Brief is recorded and produced at the Open City offices located in Bureau. Bureau is a co-working space for creatives offering a new approach to membership workspace. Bureau prioritises not just room to think and do, but also shared resources and space to collaborate. To book a free day pass follow this link.The Brief is produced in association with the Architects' Journal, and the C20 Society.The Brief is also supported by Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is the Catchup on 3 Things by The Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.Today is the 7th of October and here are the headlines.India and Maldives agreed to elevate the ties to a comprehensive economic and strategic partnership, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi met the visiting President of Maldives Mohamed Muizzu in New Delhi today. The two leaders witnessed the exchange of five pacts including one on currency swap and other on training of judicial officers, prevention of corruption, law enforcement training, sports and youth affairs. They also launched the Rupay card in the Maldives, handed over 700 social housing units and inaugurated a new airport runway at the Hanimaadhoo International Airport.The ED began a raid at the residence of Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha MP Sanjeev Arora, confirmed a source from the Central agency, on Chandigarh Road in Ludhiana early today. The source from ED said the raid at Arora's residence at Hampton Homes colony was in connection with a chunk of land that was allotted to him by the Punjab government some years ago. The source further said, “The land was allotted for an industrial project, but the agreement was breached, and the land was used for a residential project.”Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court granted bail today to Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad, his sons Tejashwi Yadav and Tej Pratap Yadav in a money laundering case linked to the alleged land-for-jobs scam. The case, in which the accused were summoned after taking cognisance of a supplementary chargesheet, pertained to Group-D appointments made in the West Central Railway Zone in Jabalpur when Lalu was Railways Minister, allegedly in return for land parcels for his family and associates. All the accused were granted relief on a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh each, noting that they were mentioned in the chargesheet, but not arrested. The matter will now be heard on October 23 and 24.Today marks a year of the war in West Asia which was sparked by the Hamas-led militant attacks on southern Israel. The attack which triggered Israel's military assault on Gaza still continues to intensify putting West Asia on the brink of all-out war. News agency Reuters reported, the Palestinian militant group in Gaza fired four rockets into Israel today. The Israeli military said there were no  casualties as three rockets were intercepted and a fourth fell in an open area. The forces have also launched a wave of artillery and airstrikes overnight, targetting Hamas launch posts and underground militant infrastructure.Two Chinese nationals were killed in a blast near Paskistan's Karachi airport on Sunday night, which the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan described as a “terrorist attack.” Pakistani broadcaster Geo News reported that at least ten people were injured in the explosion. As reported by news agency Reuters, the separatist militant group Baloch Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the explosion in a statement emailed to journalists. They stated that the attack was carried out using a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device targeting Chinese nationals, including engineers.This was the Catch Up on 3 Things by The Indian Express.

The Chinese Embassy in Pakistan has condemned a terrorist attack in Karachi that killed two Chinese citizens.

Solar panels, medication, and Gov. Tim Walz's time in Hong Kong—we have the China highlights from the vice presidential debate. BlackRock's CEO is calling on Western firms to reassess the Chinese market despite Chinese stocks soaring to their best performance in 16 years. U.S. lawmakers are calling foul on Chinese-made vehicles entering the United States through Mexico. They urge Mexican President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum to take action out of concern for national security. A research report shows Chinese firms have spent over $100 billion to get a playbook to avoid paying high tariffs. ⭕️ Watch in-depth videos based on Truth & Tradition at Epoch TV

Over a period of roughly 14 years, according to the feds, Linda Sun rose through the ranks to become deputy chief of staff to Governor Hochul, before she was fired for unspecified reasons and became a target of federal investigators. But according to the DoJ, the 41-year-old was secretly using her position to advance Chinese political and business interests and steal relevant documents. In return, the feds say, Beijing's spy service showered the couple with millions of dollars that afforded them lavish homes, a Ferrari Roma sports car, and—people had fun with this—special salted duck dishes prepared by a Chinese Embassy chef. In court on Tuesday the couple entered not guilty pleas to charges of acting as unregistered foreign agents.One person who is absolutely not surprised by all this is Nicholas Eftimiades who became a leading expert on Chinese espionage over his 34-year government career, which included work for the CIA, the State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security, and as a Senior Intelligence Officer in the Defense Intelligence Agency. Today he teaches at Penn State and is a Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council's Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security. He is also the author of “Chinese Intelligence Operations,” which will soon be reissued with an update. China's MSS spy agency, of course, couldn't care less about which party, or level of US government, it infiltrates. Its goal is to weaken the United States by any means necessary.Nick Eftimiadeshttps://twitter.com/neftimiadeshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/eftimiades/ Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter:https://twitter.com/SpyTalkerFollow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:https://twitter.com/isikoff Follow SpyTalk on Twitter:https://twitter.com/talk_spySubscribe to SpyTalk on Substackhttps://www.spytalk.co/Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback.http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short

An early episode this week ahead of Matariki and the Gals talk about the country falling apart, cancer drugs, and the Chinese Embassy response to a recent journalism investigation. Holly and Georgie crown two Yass Queens and democracy nerd Brigitte answers a question from a listener about political advertising.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

his is the Catch Up on 3 Things for the Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.It's the 12th of June and here are today's headlines.Hours after a Central Reserve Police Force personnel died following an encounter with militants during a search operation in Kathua, the Jammu and Kashmir Police today killed a second militant hiding in the area. The slain militant had managed to flee on Tuesday night after the death of his accomplice. The police and paramilitary forces had then launched a search operation in the Kootah area. The two militants had entered a house in the village last night and asked for water, following which they opened fire and injured a civilian.Calling the newly-sworn National Democratic Alliance dispensation “crippled”, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said Prime Minister Narendra Modi will have to change his attitude. Rahul told voters at Ernanad assembly constituency under Wayanad, which has voted him as MP for the second consecutive time. This is his first visit to the constituency since his election, quote “The Opposition has dealt a fatal blow to the BJP. Even Prime Minister Modi's attitude will have to change, because the people of India have sent him a clear message." Unquote.On Tuesday, Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa and his friend Pavithra Gowda were arrested over the recent murder of a 33-year-old man in Bengaluru. The victim has been identified as Renukaswamy, a resident of Chitradurga district and a fan of the actor. Bengaluru City Police Commissioner B Dayananda said their investigations so far suggest that Darshan was upset with Renukaswamy for allegedly sending “abusive comments and messages” to Pavithra on Instagram.A fire broke out in a building housing workers in the city of Mangaf in southern Kuwait early on Wednesday, killing at least 41, including several Indians, and injuring more than 50. The building reportedly had nearly 160 people living in it, who are workers of the same company. The Kuwaiti health ministry said about 43 people were hospitalized due to the fire, and four of those people had died. Posting about the incident on the social media site X, External Affairs of India, Dr S Jaishankar expressed his deepest condolences to the families of the deceased. The Indian ambassador visited the Al-Adan hospital in Kuwait, where the injured are undergoing treatment.A day after Chinese Premier Li Qiang congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his re-election for a third term, spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi today said that Beijing was willing to work with India to push forward bilateral relations in the right direction. A post on X stated and I quote, “#China and India are important neighbouring countries. Relevant border issues should be handled properly. A sound and stable #ChinaIndia relationship is in the interest of both countries, and conducive to the peace and development in this region and beyond,” Unquote.This was the Catch-Up on the 3 Things by The Indian Express.

One time when the CIA got it very wrong (with John Sipher, Jerry O'Shea and Adam Davidson)

The Biden administration is reportedly considering imposing restrictions on China's access to advanced AI models in an effort to protect U.S. AI technology. The Department of Commerce is exploring regulating the export of proprietary or closed source AI models. This move would complement previous measures aimed at preventing the export of sophisticated AI chips to China. However, the rapidly evolving nature of the AI industry poses a challenge for regulators. The proposed restrictions have been criticized by the Chinese Embassy as "economic coercion." Concerns are raised about the potential misuse of AI models by U.S. adversaries for cyber attacks or the development of biological weapons. The regulatory proposal is still under discussion, highlighting U.S. efforts to address China's AI ambitions. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/tonyphoang/message

Officials from the Chinese embassy have been making the rounds on Capitol Hill as U.S. lawmakers weigh a forced sale of the video-sharing app TikTok. Reporter Hailey Fuchs joins POLITICO Tech host Steven Overly to explain what happened inside the meetings and how they could complicate TikTok's own lobbying efforts.  

In this episode of "Sleepless in Singapore," I recount our journey from Irkutsk to Mongolia, an adventure that brought unexpected friendships and breathtaking natural beauty into our lives. Upon arriving in Irkutsk, we didn't linger, quickly moving on to meet Katya, a local who shared incredible tales of her solo travels, from scaling Everest's base camp with minimal gear to navigating deserts and jungles on a shoestring. Her stories, filled with humor and resilience, were both inspiring and a stark reminder of the vast experiences the world has to offer. Our next major stop was Lake Baikal, renowned for its crystal-clear waters and stunning natural beauty. This part of the trip was a profound experience, offering moments of reflection and connection with nature. The simplicity and magnificence of Baikal, coupled with the shared moments with friends old and new, underscored the journey's essence. As we moved into the Mongolian steppe, the landscape shifted to endless horizons and a profound sense of tranquility. This segment of our trip, marked by the rugged beauty of the steppe and the simplicity of nomadic life, offered a deep connection to the earth and a peace seldom found in urban existence.

Protestors clash with police outside the Chinese Embassy in Canberra; The Prime Minsister reacts to Donald Trump's criticism of Kevin Rudd; And in cricket, Western Australia's chances for the Sheffield Shield are further depleted.

Second Thomas Shoal, a feature in the South China Sea, is highly contested: both China and the Philippines claim sovereignty over this area and have confronted each other repeatedly around the shoal, stirring tensions that have escalated into a military confrontation between the two countries. The Chinese Embassy in Manila announced that the Chinese Coast Guard would continue law enforcement activities around the Second Thomas Shoal and condemned the Philippines' presence in the region; the government of the Philippines insists that it has sovereignty. Both sides state that the other is violating international law. China's sovereignty claims in the South China Sea have long been a point of contention for some Southeast Asian countries, the United States, and others. Conflict management in the Second Thomas Shoal has lasting implications for China's neighbors. On March 8, 2024, Jennifer Staats discusses rising tension in Second Thomas Shoal and China-Philippine relations with Jay Batongbacal and Frances Wang. About the speakers: https://www.ncuscr.org/event/south-china-sea-second-thomas-shoal/ Follow Jay Batongbacal on X: @JayBatongbacal Follow Frances Wang on X: @YapingW Subscribe to the National Committee on YouTube for video of this interview. Follow us on Twitter (@ncuscr) and Instagram (@ncuscr).

Headlines: Chinese hackers which used a government-owned facility, attempted to hack Philippine government websites; Chinese Embassy in Manila denied they have a hand on it | Inflation rate in the country went down to 2.8% | Trending on social media in South Korea: eating fried toothpickYou can also listen with Tagalog transcript and English translations here: https://www.tagalog.com/podcast/play.php?podcast_id=245Listen to all our transcribed episodes here: https://www.tagalog.com/podcast/

Chinese Counselor Wang Xuguang says China and Nauru will work together to advance bilateral ties.]]>

Emma Ansah reports on a Ghanaian reporter who warns the Chinese embassy to talk to the Chinese residents living in Africa after they record videos in blackface mocking Africans --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/africandiasporanews/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/africandiasporanews/support

Three giant pandas at the National Zoo in Washington, including a pair who came 23 years ago and their 3-year-old son, headed back to China on Wednesday, an "unbearable" moment for millions of their fans who have usually cited the bears as the reason to visit.At noon on Wednesday, before the steel and plexiglass crate that contains Xiao Qi Ji, the panda junior, was about to be loaded onto a FedEx plane at Dulles International Airport, the little one seemed to be waving his paws at the window, to the awe-struck fans who had followed him from the Zoo.Three Zoo staffers, including assistant curator of giant pandas Laurie Thompson, an animal and a supervisory veterinary medical officer traveled with the trio, along with a bonanza of the pandas' favorites: about 220 pounds of bamboo, eight pounds of leaf-eater biscuits, six pounds of apples, and even a pound of cooked squash.After a 19-hour plane ride aboard the "Giant Panda Express", including a brief refueling stop in Alaska, Xiao Qi Ji and his parents Mei Xiang, aged 25, and Tian Tian, aged 26, will arrive at Chengdu, to be greeted by keepers from the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda.They will drive them toShenshuping base in Wolong National Nature Reserve, Southwest China's Sichuan province, where they will stay in quarantine for approximately 30 days.For Zoo visitors from the US capital and beyond, saying good-bye to the pandas is not easy."Dear Mei Xiang, Tian Tian, and Xiao Qi Ji - I have dreaded this post for quite awhile, living in denial and hoping this day would somehow never come. Because saying goodbye to you is the hardest thing I've ever had to do," wrote a Zoo-goer identified as DC Panda Girl."You may never know it, but you have given me so much over the years. You gave me a reason to smile, to laugh and to find joy, even in some of my darkest moments. You provided comfort and support in a way that humans simply could not," the letter continued.Brandie Smith, director of the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, said that as the family of three departed for their new home in China, they've left behind a "tremendous" legacy in Washington DC."It is exciting and humbling that people around the world have followed these pandas, shared in our joys and rooted for our success," Smith said. "As this chapter of our giant panda program closes, we remain committed to the conservation of this species and look forward to continued collaboration with our Chinese colleagues."Asked how to cope with the situation of having an empty panda habitat at the Zoo, Smith said she would immediately think about the future – working with colleagues to bring pandas back."I will say that they have to wait the same as I do until we know that information for sure," Smith told China Daily when asked how she would answer the visitors' question about when they can expect new pandas."We have a great relationship with our colleagues in China and we look forward to working together to bring them back," she said.More than 2 million visitors travel to the Zoo every year, and giant pandas are at the top on their wish and watch list.In an interview with China Daily in August, Smith said the absence of the bears may mean that the other animals will get "a little extra" attention.In 2000, China and the US signed a Giant Panda Cooperative Research and Breeding Agreement for the second pair of giant pandas, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, to stay at the zoo for a decade since Dec 6 that year.The loan pact was renewed twice, each time for a five-year extension until Dec 7, 2020. It was then extended for another three years.Since collaboration between China and the Smithsonian's National Zoo began in 2000, the two sides have worked "closely and fruitfully" on giant panda conservation and research, said Xu Xueyuan, minister of the Chinese Embassy in the United States."The sheer fact that so many of us are gathering here, so early in the morning, to say farewell to the giant pandas returning to China, speaks for itself the unique charm of these adorable creatures," Xu said at a see-off ceremony at the Zoo."Giant pandas belong to China. Giant pandas also belong to this world. China will continue to work closely with cooperation partners, including the United States, on the conservation and research of endangered species and biodiversity protection," the diplomat said.From births and first steps to munching bamboo and playtime in the snow, the Giant Panda Cam at the Zoo has connected fans across the world to amazing moments featuring Mei Xiang, Tian Tian and their cubs, the Zoo said in a release.Since its launch, the Giant Panda Cam has had more than 100 million page-views, according to the Zoo statistics.原稿链接：https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202311/09/WS654c612ea31090682a5ed563.html

This Halloween, people in China took up new routes to mock authorities. From state health workers to surveillance cameras and Winnie the Pooh—trick-or-treaters got creative with their costumes.   A startling confession from the Chinese Embassy in Seoul: they admitted to pressuring South Korean theaters to cancel an American performance.   China is calling for "global cooperation" in sharing AI technology, as world intelligence chiefs warn that it could grease the wheels for China's intellectual property theft.   ⭕️ Watch in-depth videos based on Truth & Tradition at Epoch TV

First, there were spy balloons flying over the United States. Now, Chinese citizens posing as tourists are spying on American military bases. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Department of Defense have reportedly tracked over 100 incidents of this in recent years, raising red flags that Beijing is using non-traditional means to gather intelligence on U.S. soil. However, many spies walk away with trespassing charges rather than espionage. As threats continue to rise, Congress is looking to enact legislation on the issue, but the Chinese Embassy in Washington, DC, says the allegations are ill-intentioned. Former CIA Chief of Station Dan Hoffman joins the Rundown to explain "the new Cold War" with China, why Xi Jinping is trying to control battlespace across the world, and the national security risks of American military intelligence falling into the wrong hands. Police staffing shortages have become a very real problem, not just in America's big cities but in small towns as well. In the middle of August, the entire police department in Goodhue, Minnesota, resigned, citing a lack of fair compensation and the burden of a scarce supply of new officers. Police departments across the nation have been grappling with a critical staffing shortage, as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' data shows a consistent decline in law enforcement jobs starting in 2020. Whether it be Los Angeles, Austin, Philadelphia, or a small town in the Midwest, all communities are experiencing difficulty attracting police officers. But why is this? Goodhue, Minnesota's Sheriff Marty Kelly joins to break down what led to the disbanding of his town's police department, the critical obstacles stations face during police recruitment, and what needs to change to bring people back to the profession of law enforcement.   Plus, commentary by New York Post columnist Karol Markowicz. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First, there were spy balloons flying over the United States. Now, Chinese citizens posing as tourists are spying on American military bases. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Department of Defense have reportedly tracked over 100 incidents of this in recent years, raising red flags that Beijing is using non-traditional means to gather intelligence on U.S. soil. However, many spies walk away with trespassing charges rather than espionage. As threats continue to rise, Congress is looking to enact legislation on the issue, but the Chinese Embassy in Washington, DC, says the allegations are ill-intentioned. Former CIA Chief of Station Dan Hoffman joins the Rundown to explain "the new Cold War" with China, why Xi Jinping is trying to control battlespace across the world, and the national security risks of American military intelligence falling into the wrong hands. Police staffing shortages have become a very real problem, not just in America's big cities but in small towns as well. In the middle of August, the entire police department in Goodhue, Minnesota, resigned, citing a lack of fair compensation and the burden of a scarce supply of new officers. Police departments across the nation have been grappling with a critical staffing shortage, as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' data shows a consistent decline in law enforcement jobs starting in 2020. Whether it be Los Angeles, Austin, Philadelphia, or a small town in the Midwest, all communities are experiencing difficulty attracting police officers. But why is this? Goodhue, Minnesota's Sheriff Marty Kelly joins to break down what led to the disbanding of his town's police department, the critical obstacles stations face during police recruitment, and what needs to change to bring people back to the profession of law enforcement.   Plus, commentary by New York Post columnist Karol Markowicz. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First, there were spy balloons flying over the United States. Now, Chinese citizens posing as tourists are spying on American military bases. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Department of Defense have reportedly tracked over 100 incidents of this in recent years, raising red flags that Beijing is using non-traditional means to gather intelligence on U.S. soil. However, many spies walk away with trespassing charges rather than espionage. As threats continue to rise, Congress is looking to enact legislation on the issue, but the Chinese Embassy in Washington, DC, says the allegations are ill-intentioned. Former CIA Chief of Station Dan Hoffman joins the Rundown to explain "the new Cold War" with China, why Xi Jinping is trying to control battlespace across the world, and the national security risks of American military intelligence falling into the wrong hands. Police staffing shortages have become a very real problem, not just in America's big cities but in small towns as well. In the middle of August, the entire police department in Goodhue, Minnesota, resigned, citing a lack of fair compensation and the burden of a scarce supply of new officers. Police departments across the nation have been grappling with a critical staffing shortage, as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' data shows a consistent decline in law enforcement jobs starting in 2020. Whether it be Los Angeles, Austin, Philadelphia, or a small town in the Midwest, all communities are experiencing difficulty attracting police officers. But why is this? Goodhue, Minnesota's Sheriff Marty Kelly joins to break down what led to the disbanding of his town's police department, the critical obstacles stations face during police recruitment, and what needs to change to bring people back to the profession of law enforcement.   Plus, commentary by New York Post columnist Karol Markowicz. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christian Esguerra sits down with retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio on the Chinese Embassy statement blaming the Philippines over the water cannon incident near Ayungin Shoal.

Christian Esguerra is joined by maritime law expert Jay Batongbacal in a frank discussion on a Chinese Embassy statement assailing the Philippines' arbitral victory over Beijing.

The Chinese Embassy in France has issued a safety alert, urging Chinese nationals to avoid areas of violent clashes.

Practitioners use the interference from the Chinese Embassy as an opportunity to tell people the facts about Falun Dafa and persecution. This and other stories from the Minghui website. Experience sharing articles: 1. The Dominican Republic: Hosting Shen Yun Despite the Chinese Embassy's Interference 2. Break Free from the Attachment of Sentiment

SpaceX to launch from both US coasts in one day. US Space Force GPS ground system overhaul delayed. US House Republicans have proposed a bill to make the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration an independent agency. Capella Space has been awarded a 5-year blanket purchase agreement with NASA‘s Earth Science Division, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Miss an episode? Sign-up for our weekly intelligence roundup, Signals and Space, and you'll never miss a beat. And be sure to follow T-Minus on Twitter and LinkedIn. T-Minus Guest Our guest for today's episode is Aaron Myrick, Project Leader at The Aerospace Corporation. Aaron worked on the Moonlighter - the satellite hacking sandbox, now on orbit. You can connect with Aaron on LinkedIn and follow the Aerospace Corporation on their website. Selected Reading SpaceX knocks out overnight Space Coast launch; California launch on tap- Orlando Sentinel NASA astronauts deploy 5th roll-out solar array on spacewalk outside space station- Space.com Space Force sees further delays to ‘troubled' GPS ground segment- C4ISRNET House Republicans introduce bill to create an independent NOAA- SpaceNews BAE Systems announces low earth orbit cluster for secure digital military intelligence- AeroMag HawkEye 360's Cluster 7 Satellites Are Now Operational- Via Satellite Capella Space Wins Five-Year SAR Imagery Purchase Deal from NASA US-German Satellites Show California Water Gains After Record Winter- NASA Layoffs hit Colorado space companies as funding remains tight- CNBC Coast Guard in coordination with Chinese Embassy over suspected rocket debris- PhilStar Audience Survey We want to hear from you! Please complete our 4 question survey. It'll help us get better and deliver you the most mission-critical space intel every day. Want to hear your company in the show? You too can reach the most influential leaders and operators in the industry. Here's our media kit. Contact us at space@n2k.com to request more info. Want to join us for an interview? Please send your pitch to space-editor@n2k.com and include your name, affiliation, and topic proposal. T-Minus is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © 2023 N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

①Former Uzbek Foreign Minister Vladimir Norov says China-Central Asia Summit will help further enhance strategic partnership between the two regions. (01:02) ②As the China-Central Asia Summit approaches, we delve into the economic collaboration between the two regions. (15:17) ③China has strongly criticized Japan for provoking bloc confrontation as Fumio Kishida repeatedly attacked China ahead of the G7 summit. (24:35) ④The Chinese Embassy in the UK condemns former UK Prime Minister Liz Truss's visit to Taiwan. We analyze the potential impact on China-UK relations. (33:38) ⑤The CEO of OpenAI calls for greater regulation of artificial intelligence. We discuss the delicate balance between fostering innovation and ensuring accountability. (42:53)

In 1999, NATO carried out a bombing campaign in Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War. On 7 May, five American bombs hit the Chinese embassy in Belgrade, killing three people and damaging relations between China and the West. Ben Henderson speaks to Hong Shen, a Chinese businessman, who was one of the first on the scene. (Photo: Protesters hold pictures of Chinese journalists killed in the embassy bombing. Credit: Stephen Shaver/AFP via Getty Images)

Dom welcomes Representative Guy Reschenthaler back onto the Dom Giordano Program to hear what the Chief Deputy Whip of Congress has been up to recently. First, Dom and the Congressman discuss the push to control President Biden's reckless spending through a debt ceiling, with the Representative taking us inside the back in forth in Congress over the new bill, explaining the detriment of not passing some form of control on the Administration's exuberant bill. Also, Reschenthaler provides an update on Ukraine, telling how it ties to international relations with China, and tells about a recent trip he had to Taiwan, and threats he received from the Chinese Embassy over news of his visit. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker-Pool/Getty Images)

In today's second hour, Dom welcomes in Ryan Hyde, Republican candidate for District Attorney of Chester County, into the Dom Giordano Program to hear about the slow seep of crime from Philadelphia into the City's suburbs, including those within his County. Hyde takes us inside his usually-safe county, telling up a huge uptick in crime due to policies laid forth in Philadelphia by progressive DA Larry Krasner. Then, Hyde tells us about his opponent, offering up what he would do differently than the current stance of the county's Democratic Party. Also, Hyde tells listeners how they can vote for him, and explains what to expect if he's elected to office. Then, Dom continues on with more commentary about the firing of Tucker Carlson from Fox News and Don Lemon from CNN, telling what he thinks both hosts will do now without their obligations to their network, with one listener suggesting that Tucker could enter into politics as Trump's Vice President Candidate. After that, Dom welcomes Representative Guy Reschenthaler back onto the Dom Giordano Program to hear what the Chief Deputy Whip of Congress has been up to recently. First, Dom and the Congressman discuss the push to control President Biden's reckless spending through a debt ceiling, with the Representative taking us inside the back in forth in Congress over the new bill, explaining the detriment of not passing some form of control on the Administration's exuberant bill. Also, Reschenthaler provides an update on Ukraine, telling how it ties to international relations with China, and tells about a recent trip he had to Taiwan, and threats he received from the Chinese Embassy over news of his visit. (Photo by Jason Koerner/Getty Images)

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily Newsbrief for Friday, February 17th, 2023. I hope you all have had a fantastic week as we’ve reached Friday! Trinity Church is hosting a Men’s Conference, Friday night and Saturday morning, 2/24-2/25. The title is Taking Dominion. God has given mankind the commission to take dominion over His creation for the purpose of making it more fruitful, beneficial, and enjoyable, and all to the glory of God. Men are the tip of the spear as we lead our households in the pursuit of this dominion. Pastor Dave Hatcher, Pastor Jerry Owen, and Andrew Crappuchettes (CEO RedBalloon) will be speaking about fulfilling this mandate in our selves, our houses, and the other opportunities God gives us. Visit www.trinitykirk.org/2023-mens-conference https://www.foxnews.com/us/train-derails-outside-detroit-michigan-one-car-hazardous-materials Train derails outside Detroit, Michigan, with one car carrying hazardous materials A train containing one car of hazardous materials has derailed Thursday in Van Buren Township outside Detroit, Michigan, reports say. The cause of the derailment was not immediately clear. Police told Fox2 Detroit that there were no injuries and the area is not a hazmat situation. Officials that spoke to WXYZ, which reported that at least six cars were seen off the track, said one of them was carrying hazardous materials. The derailment comes less than two weeks after a train carrying toxic chemicals derailed in East Palestine, Ohio. Police told Fox2 Detroit that roads will be closed in the area while an investigation is ongoing. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy also said it is "aware of the train derailment in Van Buren Township, Wayne County, where initial reports indicate no threat to the public from the derailment. "EGLE personnel are on their way to the scene to assist in assessing the situation," it added. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-admin-turns-down-ohios-request-disaster-assistance-toxic-derailment Biden admin turns down Ohio's request for disaster assistance after toxic derailment The Biden administration turned down a request for federal disaster assistance from Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine in the aftermath of the train derailment in the state earlier this month that led to a large release of toxic chemicals. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) told Ohio's state government that it was not eligible for disaster assistance to help the community recover from the toxic spill, Dan Tierney, a spokesperson for DeWine, told Fox News Digital on Thursday. Tierney explained that FEMA believed the incident didn't qualify as a traditional disaster, such as a tornado or hurricane, for which it usually provides assistance. "The DeWine Administration has been in daily contact with FEMA to discuss the need for federal support, however FEMA continues to tell Governor DeWine that Ohio is not eligible for assistance at this time," DeWine's office said in a statement earlier in the day. "Governor DeWine will continue working with FEMA to determine what assistance can be provided." FEMA said that its team is in constant communication with DeWine's office, but didn't comment on the request for federal relief. Tierney noted, though, that the governor was able to secure some health assistance from the Department of Health and Human Services that will go towards helping local residents with any medical care costs that stem from the incident. Norfolk Southern has offered financial compensation to locals who were displaced and has worked with the Environmental Protection Agency and state officials to conduct air safety tests. Health officials have assured the public that tests have shown the area is safe. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/bruce-willis-diagnosed-frontotemporal-dementia-demi-moore-says_n_63ee887ae4b0808b91c5a71e Bruce Willis Diagnosed With Frontotemporal Dementia, Family Says Actor Bruce Willis has been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, his family said in a statement Thursday. The 67-year-old “Die Hard” star was diagnosed with the disease, also known as FTD, after his prior diagnosis of aphasia progressed, his family said. The disease’s progression varies from two to more than 20 years and the average life expectancy after the start of symptoms is seven to 13 years. There is no cure or treatment currently available, according to the AFTD’s website. Willis’ family said that by sharing his story they hope they can bring more awareness to the disease and push for research toward finding treatments. Willis retired from acting in 2022 after his aphasia diagnosis. Aphasia typically occurs suddenly after a stroke, head injury or sometimes a slow-growing tumor. It can affect a person’s ability to speak, write and understand language, both verbal and written, according to the Mayo Clinic. The actor’s former co-workers told the Los Angeles Times last year that he had been struggling for years on set. In the Biden administrations’ zeal for shooting down balloons, they may have overreacted with this one… https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/aircraft-propulsion/hobby-clubs-missing-balloon-feared-shot-down-usaf Hobby Club’s Missing Balloon Feared Shot Down By USAF A small, globe-trotting balloon declared “missing in action” by an Illinois-based hobbyist club on Feb. 15 has emerged as a candidate to explain one of the three mystery objects shot down by four heat-seeking missiles launched by U.S. Air Force fighters since Feb. 10. The club—the Northern Illinois Bottlecap Balloon Brigade (NIBBB)—is not pointing fingers yet. But the circumstantial evidence is at least intriguing. The club’s silver-coated, party-style, “pico balloon” reported its last position on Feb. 10 at 38,910 ft. off the west coast of Alaska, and a popular forecasting tool—the HYSPLIT model provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)—projected the cylindrically shaped object would be floating high over the central part of the Yukon Territory on Feb. 11. That is the same day a Lockheed Martin F-22 shot down an unidentified object of a similar description and altitude in the same general area. There are suspicions among other prominent members of the small, pico-ballooning enthusiasts’ community, which combines ham radio and high-altitude ballooning into a single, relatively affordable hobby. https://www.theblaze.com/news/eu-2035-gas-car-ban European Union approves effective ban on sales of gas cars by 2035, requiring 100% reduction in CO2 European Parliament has formally approved a law that will effectively end the sale of gas- and diesel-powered vehicles in the European Union by 2035, calling for a 100% reduction in CO2 emissions for any new cars sold, according to Reuters. The 27-nation union agreed to the changes in October 2022, but has now formalized the deal, which enforces a 55% reduction in emissions for vehicles by 2030. Levels for CO2 for 2021 were set at a target of 37.5%. Vans will get a slight advantage in the market, requiring a a 50% cut by 2030, compared with 2021 levels. Just a few months before the announcement in May 2022, car makers such as Ford and Volvo even signed a joint letter with 26 other companies asking the European Union to implement such a plan. The target of 2035 has been justified by the EU based on what officials say is an average vehicle lifespan of 15 years, which would allow the EU to reach net zero emissions by 2050. Companies that make less than 10,000 cars per year will be able to negotiate lower targets until 2036, however some companies are happily ready to enforce the change. Volkswagen vowed in October 2022 to produce only electric cars in Europe beginning in 2033, committing to the earliest possible time frame after previously stating it would aim for a 2033-2035 range. However, in June 2022, five countries were looking to delay the shift to electric-only vehicles by at least five years to 2040. Bulgaria, Italy, Portugal, Romania, and Slovakia called for a 90% cut of CO2 by 2035, extending the 100% target to 2040, with light commercial vehicles meeting 80% for 2035 before also needing the full cut by 2040. A Bulgarian official had said that the EU needed to reconsider the economic costs of switching to electric and the effect that would have on poorer nations in the union. Laws enforcing electric vehicle chargers are currently in negotiation in the union. https://dailycaller.com/2023/02/15/china-ccp-christian-chinaaid-jonathan-dingler-pastor-bob-fu-xi-jinping/ Communist China Cracked Down On Christians In 2022 The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) censored, fined, politically indoctrinated and forcibly disappeared Chinese Christians in 2022, according to a new report from the nonprofit ChinaAid Tuesday. The People’s Republic of China (PRC) reportedly employed a range of new methods to persecute Chinese Christians in 2022 including fabricating charges of fraud as well as criminalizing the legal international travel of church leaders, the report states. China’s crackdown on Christianity reportedly intensified in the run-up to the CCP’s 20th Party Congress in October 2022, during which time General Secretary Xi Jinping secured a third term as the communist nation’s supreme leader, according to ChinaAid. “Xi Jinping and the Communist Party did all they could to silence Christians leading up to the 20th National Congress,” Jonathan Dingler, a spokesman for ChinaAid who worked on the report, told the Daily Caller News Foundation. Christians account for approximately 5% of China’s religious community, according to the CIA World Factbook. While Catholics number around 10 million, Protestants account for the majority of China’s Christian community, with approximately 38 million followers as of 2020, The Economist reported. Dingler told the DCNF that after the CCP’s crackdown leading up to the 20th Party Congress “the tone shifted” within the state-sanctioned churches which then began treating Xi “as if he were the leader of the church.” ChinaAid identified a March 2022 paper entitled “Adhering to the Sinicization of Religion in China” published by the United Front Work Department (UFWD) as the political motivation behind the CCP’s 2022 crackdown on Christianity. The UFWD is a “Chinese government entity charged with extending the CCP’s influence and control over non-Party organizations both domestically and abroad to advance CCP policy objectives,” according to a 2021 report by the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC). Moreover, the USCC also identified the UFWD as a “Chinese intelligence service” in 2016. The UFWD’s March 2022 paper reportedly emphasized “promoting the Sinicization of religion, adhering to the orientation of the core socialist values and submerging all religious beliefs in Chinese culture to better adapt religion to China’s socialist society and the New Era of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics,” according to ChinaAid. China’s state-sanctioned churches must now actively promote Xi’s thoughts “from the pulpit,” which in practice means that churches which don’t “flat-out fall at Xi’s feet and worship him are considered ‘inciting subversion of state power,'” Dingler told the DCNF. Churches were reportedly even converted into political propaganda centers in order to broadcast Xi’s speech during the 20th Party Congress in October 2022, according to ChinaAid’s report. Likewise, churches in other provinces were also reportedly repurposed to hold “study” sessions on CCP policies such as “Reinforcing Management of Religion on All Fronts: 10 Prohibitions and 10 Mustn’ts.” The Chinese government also increasingly persecuted Christians online in 2022, censoring words like “Jesus,” “Savior” and “Amen” on the Chinese social media platform WeChat, according to ChinaAid’s report. At the same time, the Chinese government also shut down church websites and Christians’ social media accounts. “Congregants can’t even give to their churches online anymore, thanks to new regulations,” Dingler said. “They want to break down house churches even further, hoping they will finally give in and submit.” The Chinese Embassy did not respond to the DCNF’s request for comment.

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily Newsbrief for Friday, February 17th, 2023. I hope you all have had a fantastic week as we’ve reached Friday! Trinity Church is hosting a Men’s Conference, Friday night and Saturday morning, 2/24-2/25. The title is Taking Dominion. God has given mankind the commission to take dominion over His creation for the purpose of making it more fruitful, beneficial, and enjoyable, and all to the glory of God. Men are the tip of the spear as we lead our households in the pursuit of this dominion. Pastor Dave Hatcher, Pastor Jerry Owen, and Andrew Crappuchettes (CEO RedBalloon) will be speaking about fulfilling this mandate in our selves, our houses, and the other opportunities God gives us. Visit www.trinitykirk.org/2023-mens-conference https://www.foxnews.com/us/train-derails-outside-detroit-michigan-one-car-hazardous-materials Train derails outside Detroit, Michigan, with one car carrying hazardous materials A train containing one car of hazardous materials has derailed Thursday in Van Buren Township outside Detroit, Michigan, reports say. The cause of the derailment was not immediately clear. Police told Fox2 Detroit that there were no injuries and the area is not a hazmat situation. Officials that spoke to WXYZ, which reported that at least six cars were seen off the track, said one of them was carrying hazardous materials. The derailment comes less than two weeks after a train carrying toxic chemicals derailed in East Palestine, Ohio. Police told Fox2 Detroit that roads will be closed in the area while an investigation is ongoing. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy also said it is "aware of the train derailment in Van Buren Township, Wayne County, where initial reports indicate no threat to the public from the derailment. "EGLE personnel are on their way to the scene to assist in assessing the situation," it added. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-admin-turns-down-ohios-request-disaster-assistance-toxic-derailment Biden admin turns down Ohio's request for disaster assistance after toxic derailment The Biden administration turned down a request for federal disaster assistance from Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine in the aftermath of the train derailment in the state earlier this month that led to a large release of toxic chemicals. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) told Ohio's state government that it was not eligible for disaster assistance to help the community recover from the toxic spill, Dan Tierney, a spokesperson for DeWine, told Fox News Digital on Thursday. Tierney explained that FEMA believed the incident didn't qualify as a traditional disaster, such as a tornado or hurricane, for which it usually provides assistance. "The DeWine Administration has been in daily contact with FEMA to discuss the need for federal support, however FEMA continues to tell Governor DeWine that Ohio is not eligible for assistance at this time," DeWine's office said in a statement earlier in the day. "Governor DeWine will continue working with FEMA to determine what assistance can be provided." FEMA said that its team is in constant communication with DeWine's office, but didn't comment on the request for federal relief. Tierney noted, though, that the governor was able to secure some health assistance from the Department of Health and Human Services that will go towards helping local residents with any medical care costs that stem from the incident. Norfolk Southern has offered financial compensation to locals who were displaced and has worked with the Environmental Protection Agency and state officials to conduct air safety tests. Health officials have assured the public that tests have shown the area is safe. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/bruce-willis-diagnosed-frontotemporal-dementia-demi-moore-says_n_63ee887ae4b0808b91c5a71e Bruce Willis Diagnosed With Frontotemporal Dementia, Family Says Actor Bruce Willis has been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, his family said in a statement Thursday. The 67-year-old “Die Hard” star was diagnosed with the disease, also known as FTD, after his prior diagnosis of aphasia progressed, his family said. The disease’s progression varies from two to more than 20 years and the average life expectancy after the start of symptoms is seven to 13 years. There is no cure or treatment currently available, according to the AFTD’s website. Willis’ family said that by sharing his story they hope they can bring more awareness to the disease and push for research toward finding treatments. Willis retired from acting in 2022 after his aphasia diagnosis. Aphasia typically occurs suddenly after a stroke, head injury or sometimes a slow-growing tumor. It can affect a person’s ability to speak, write and understand language, both verbal and written, according to the Mayo Clinic. The actor’s former co-workers told the Los Angeles Times last year that he had been struggling for years on set. In the Biden administrations’ zeal for shooting down balloons, they may have overreacted with this one… https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/aircraft-propulsion/hobby-clubs-missing-balloon-feared-shot-down-usaf Hobby Club’s Missing Balloon Feared Shot Down By USAF A small, globe-trotting balloon declared “missing in action” by an Illinois-based hobbyist club on Feb. 15 has emerged as a candidate to explain one of the three mystery objects shot down by four heat-seeking missiles launched by U.S. Air Force fighters since Feb. 10. The club—the Northern Illinois Bottlecap Balloon Brigade (NIBBB)—is not pointing fingers yet. But the circumstantial evidence is at least intriguing. The club’s silver-coated, party-style, “pico balloon” reported its last position on Feb. 10 at 38,910 ft. off the west coast of Alaska, and a popular forecasting tool—the HYSPLIT model provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)—projected the cylindrically shaped object would be floating high over the central part of the Yukon Territory on Feb. 11. That is the same day a Lockheed Martin F-22 shot down an unidentified object of a similar description and altitude in the same general area. There are suspicions among other prominent members of the small, pico-ballooning enthusiasts’ community, which combines ham radio and high-altitude ballooning into a single, relatively affordable hobby. https://www.theblaze.com/news/eu-2035-gas-car-ban European Union approves effective ban on sales of gas cars by 2035, requiring 100% reduction in CO2 European Parliament has formally approved a law that will effectively end the sale of gas- and diesel-powered vehicles in the European Union by 2035, calling for a 100% reduction in CO2 emissions for any new cars sold, according to Reuters. The 27-nation union agreed to the changes in October 2022, but has now formalized the deal, which enforces a 55% reduction in emissions for vehicles by 2030. Levels for CO2 for 2021 were set at a target of 37.5%. Vans will get a slight advantage in the market, requiring a a 50% cut by 2030, compared with 2021 levels. Just a few months before the announcement in May 2022, car makers such as Ford and Volvo even signed a joint letter with 26 other companies asking the European Union to implement such a plan. The target of 2035 has been justified by the EU based on what officials say is an average vehicle lifespan of 15 years, which would allow the EU to reach net zero emissions by 2050. Companies that make less than 10,000 cars per year will be able to negotiate lower targets until 2036, however some companies are happily ready to enforce the change. Volkswagen vowed in October 2022 to produce only electric cars in Europe beginning in 2033, committing to the earliest possible time frame after previously stating it would aim for a 2033-2035 range. However, in June 2022, five countries were looking to delay the shift to electric-only vehicles by at least five years to 2040. Bulgaria, Italy, Portugal, Romania, and Slovakia called for a 90% cut of CO2 by 2035, extending the 100% target to 2040, with light commercial vehicles meeting 80% for 2035 before also needing the full cut by 2040. A Bulgarian official had said that the EU needed to reconsider the economic costs of switching to electric and the effect that would have on poorer nations in the union. Laws enforcing electric vehicle chargers are currently in negotiation in the union. https://dailycaller.com/2023/02/15/china-ccp-christian-chinaaid-jonathan-dingler-pastor-bob-fu-xi-jinping/ Communist China Cracked Down On Christians In 2022 The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) censored, fined, politically indoctrinated and forcibly disappeared Chinese Christians in 2022, according to a new report from the nonprofit ChinaAid Tuesday. The People’s Republic of China (PRC) reportedly employed a range of new methods to persecute Chinese Christians in 2022 including fabricating charges of fraud as well as criminalizing the legal international travel of church leaders, the report states. China’s crackdown on Christianity reportedly intensified in the run-up to the CCP’s 20th Party Congress in October 2022, during which time General Secretary Xi Jinping secured a third term as the communist nation’s supreme leader, according to ChinaAid. “Xi Jinping and the Communist Party did all they could to silence Christians leading up to the 20th National Congress,” Jonathan Dingler, a spokesman for ChinaAid who worked on the report, told the Daily Caller News Foundation. Christians account for approximately 5% of China’s religious community, according to the CIA World Factbook. While Catholics number around 10 million, Protestants account for the majority of China’s Christian community, with approximately 38 million followers as of 2020, The Economist reported. Dingler told the DCNF that after the CCP’s crackdown leading up to the 20th Party Congress “the tone shifted” within the state-sanctioned churches which then began treating Xi “as if he were the leader of the church.” ChinaAid identified a March 2022 paper entitled “Adhering to the Sinicization of Religion in China” published by the United Front Work Department (UFWD) as the political motivation behind the CCP’s 2022 crackdown on Christianity. The UFWD is a “Chinese government entity charged with extending the CCP’s influence and control over non-Party organizations both domestically and abroad to advance CCP policy objectives,” according to a 2021 report by the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC). Moreover, the USCC also identified the UFWD as a “Chinese intelligence service” in 2016. The UFWD’s March 2022 paper reportedly emphasized “promoting the Sinicization of religion, adhering to the orientation of the core socialist values and submerging all religious beliefs in Chinese culture to better adapt religion to China’s socialist society and the New Era of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics,” according to ChinaAid. China’s state-sanctioned churches must now actively promote Xi’s thoughts “from the pulpit,” which in practice means that churches which don’t “flat-out fall at Xi’s feet and worship him are considered ‘inciting subversion of state power,'” Dingler told the DCNF. Churches were reportedly even converted into political propaganda centers in order to broadcast Xi’s speech during the 20th Party Congress in October 2022, according to ChinaAid’s report. Likewise, churches in other provinces were also reportedly repurposed to hold “study” sessions on CCP policies such as “Reinforcing Management of Religion on All Fronts: 10 Prohibitions and 10 Mustn’ts.” The Chinese government also increasingly persecuted Christians online in 2022, censoring words like “Jesus,” “Savior” and “Amen” on the Chinese social media platform WeChat, according to ChinaAid’s report. At the same time, the Chinese government also shut down church websites and Christians’ social media accounts. “Congregants can’t even give to their churches online anymore, thanks to new regulations,” Dingler said. “They want to break down house churches even further, hoping they will finally give in and submit.” The Chinese Embassy did not respond to the DCNF’s request for comment.

Dumb Ass News - A viral video of a man trying to move a box weighing less than 30 pounds, provided some really hilarious (and pathetic) sounds. (0:00) Steve Shippy is a paranormal investigator, and was on to talk about one of the craziest incidents in US history. Steve explains why you don't know more about "the Michigan Hell House." (4:35) Kate from Damned CT was on to help Chaz and AJ piece together a list of the most haunted places in CT, for Steve Shippy to investigate. (13:52) Dumb Ass News - Two guys from the UK respond to the Chinese spy balloons by launching one of their own, over the Chinese Embassy. (16:00) Can Chaz and AJ identify the lead guitar part being sung by the Tribe? (22:33) Image Credit: Rastan / iStock / Getty Images Plus

'Three Waves in Three Months': Chinese Official on COVID-19Millions of Chinese Rush Home for New YearU.S. Companies Push Biden to Lift China TariffsChina to Launch State-Owned Transportation AppTaiwanese Women to Join Military Reserve for First TimeFrance: Europe Doesn't Oppose China Like the U.S.Chinese Embassy in Lisbon Adjusts Surveillance Cams'Joy or Woe?': Economists on China's ReopeningChina Impacts U.S. Defense Dept. Via Lobbying: Rex Lee

- Minghui Editorial: Confirmation - Taipei: Practitioners Wish Falun Dafa Founder a Happy Chinese New Year - Ireland: People Learn Falun Dafa in a Dublin Park - Hubei Woman Dies Days After Being Released from Brainwashing Center - Shen Yun Performs in the U.K., Germany, Japan, and the U.S.: “They're Serving the World” - Slovakia: Falun Dafa Practitioners Hold Candlelight Vigil in Front of Chinese Embassy in Bratislava - Stockholm, Sweden: Raising Awareness of the Persecution in Front of Nobel Prize Museum - Shen Yun Continues Tours in Germany, the United States, and Japan

London: Marking 20 years of the 24-hour peaceful protest outside the Chinese Consulate, a practitioner shares cultivation insights and heart-warming encouragement from locals. Original article from Minghui.org: “[European Fa Conference] Cultivating While Peacefully Protesting Outside the Chinese Embassy in London for 20 Years”

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily Newsbrief for Wednesday, November 30th, 2022. Happy hump day everyone! I hope y’all have been having a good week… and before we get to the news, do you want your kids to be able to take on our wicked culture, and be dangerous? Look no further than NSA. New Saint Andrews: Today’s culture shifts like sand. But New Saint Andrews College is established on Christ, the immovable rock. It is a premier institution that forges evangelical leaders who don’t fear or hate the world. Guided by God’s Word, they take the world back because they’re equipped with the genius of classical liberal arts and God-honoring wisdom, thanks to a faculty dedicated to academic rigor and to God’s kingdom.Find out more, at nsa.edu/ https://thepostmillennial.com/white-paper-revolution-spreads-anti-ccp-protests-break-out-worldwide-as-chinese-students-demonstrate-in-key-cities?utm_campaign=64487 WHITE PAPER REVOLUTION SPREADS: Anti-CCP protests break out worldwide as Chinese students demonstrate in key cities Following days of ongoing protests in China, the "White Paper Revolution" has spread outside of the country, with protestors across the globe, many of Chinese descent, standing in solidarity with those in China protesting their country’s "Zero Covid" policy. In the US, college students at University of California Berkeley, NYU, and Columbia University gathered on their campuses, carrying white sheets of paper as those in China have been doing. The blank, white pages are a symbol of protest against Chinese censors. At Berkeley, students set up a candlelight vigil for the victims of a fire in a Urumqi apartment building. At least 10 people died in the fire after months of a strict Covid lockdown saw residents locked inside of their homes by officials. Lockdowns were blamed for the inability of fire fighters to put out the blaze fast enough, in which a 3-year-old was among the casualties. Protestors on Berkeley’s campus set fire to a masked Winnie the Pooh stuffed animal, representing Chinese President Xi Jinping. Students from NYU gathered in New York City’s Washington Square Park to protest in solidarity with Chinese citizens stepping up in their own country, setting up another candlelight vigil. Protestors in the square chanted "no lockdown, but freedom. No lies, but dignity. No Cultural Revolution, but reform. No supreme leaders, but votes. No slaves, but citizens. Twitter user Indy posted the footage. https://twitter.com/i/status/1597033132615602176 - Play Video At Columbia University in New York City, protestors used facemasks to cover the face of a statue that sits iconically before the schools largest library. Protestors held a banner that read, "Chinese Community Party, Step Down! Give Me Liberty of Death!" Demonstrations were also seen in Tokyo, Japan, with Chinese students protesting outside of the city’s Chinese Embassy while holding white sheets of paper. In London, England, protestors chanted "down with the party, down with Xi Jinping, Free China," flying the flag of East Turkestan, the region of China where the apartment fire broke out. Protests had sparked in China following the Urumqi apartment fire last week. Chinese citizens took to the streets in major cities like Shanghai and Beijing in opposition of the country’s "Zero Covid" policy, which issues strict restrictions for those found to be positive for the virus, including separating them from those who test negative, like family members. https://thepostmillennial.com/desantis-slams-apple-as-vassal-of-the-ccp-after-it-removes-airdrop-from-chinese-iphones?utm_campaign=64487 DeSantis SLAMS Apple as 'vassal of the CCP' after it limits AirDrop on Chinese iPhones Apple has beed accused of being vassals for the Chinese Communist Party by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis after the tech giant restricted its AirDrop feature amid White Paper Revolution protests breaking out across the country. Chinese citizens are demonstrating against the CCP's lockdown policies. The criticism comes as Apple and Google consider pulling Twitter from their respective app stores in response to owner Elon Musk's new free speech policies, which include dropping restrictions around so-called Covid disinformation. They have been encouraged to do so by some American journalists, including those at the Washington Post. Musk has said he is a free speech absolutist, and believes the platform should be open to discourse and should not engage in censorship. The AirDrop feature is a vital tool for those in authoritarian countries, as the feature uses direct connections between phones rather than using any internet signal to communicate. On November 9, Apple released its new iOS. The update made it so that iPhones sold in mainland China can only receive messages from people for just 10 minutes before the function stops working. Gov. DeSantis made several comments about China during a media appearance on Tuesday, where he accused Apple of being a "vassal of the CCP," and warned that "nuking" Twitter off the app store would be anti-free speech. https://rumble.com/v1xw06a-desantis-slams-apple-for-being-a-vassal-of-the-ccp..html - Play Video Yesterday, Musk said that he was prepared to "go to war" with Apple over the prospect it pulling the app. In a tweet on Tuesday, Musk said that it is a "real problem" that Apple and Google "effectively control access to most of the Internet via their app stores." Protests in China have raged on across several cities in respose to extreme measures taken by the CCP under President Xi Jinping. On Monday, National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby was asked why the Biden administration had not responded more strongly in support of the ongoing people's protests in China against that country's authoritarian regime. Kirby said, "We're watching this closely as you might expect, we would. And again, we continue to stand up and support the right of peaceful protest. And I think we're gonna watch this closely and we'll see where things go." Kirby said that President Biden would not be speaking on behalf of protestors, and that the protestors are "speaking for themselves." Speaking of Big Tech: https://thepostmillennial.com/google-youtube-spend-millions-to-launch-global-fact-check-fund?utm_campaign=64487 Google, YouTube spend MILLIONS to launch Global Fact Check Fund On Tuesday, Google and YouTube announced that they will be providing a $13.2 million grant to the nonprofit Poynter Institute's International Fact Checking Network with the goal of launching a new "Global Fact Check Fund," set to launch in early 2023. The move, which marks the companies' largest fact-checking grant to date, comes as they continue to ramp up their fight against "misinformation" online. According to Google and YouTube, the grant will "support [the Poynter Institute's] network of 135 fact-checking organizations from 65 countries covering over 80 languages." The companies justified their decision by noting that "helping people to identify misinformation is a global challenge." "The Global Fact Check Fund," they explained, "will help fact-checkers to scale existing operations or launch new ones that elevate information, uplift credible sources and reduce the harm of mis- and disinformation around the globe." Organizations are expected to use the funding to "incorporate new technologies, create or expand digital footprints, optimize verification tools, and increase their capacities to deepen audience engagement through innovative storytelling formats such as audio, video, or podcasts." "The world needs fact-checking more than ever before," IFCN executive director Baybars Örsek said. "This partnership with Google and YouTube infuses financial support to global fact-checkers and is a step in the right direction, and while there’s much work to be done, this partnership has sparked meaningful collaboration and an important step. In recent years, investments in programs aimed at tackling mis- and disinformation online have grown in tandem with peoples' interest and awareness in the subject. According to data from Google, in October 2022, interest in mis- and disinformation across the world reached its highest point since 2004, when records began, with the most pressing topic being the Covid-19 pandemic. During the pandemic, big tech's fact-checking apparatus went into overdrive as companies struggled to keep up with information that seemed to be changing on a daily, if not hourly basis. YouTube has been criticized for its crackdowns on those who shared ideas that opposed the mainstream, many of whom have had their views vindicated in the months since. https://www.based-politics.com/2022/11/29/biden-rushing-to-track-the-20-billion-we-gave-ukraine/ Biden rushing to track the $20 billion we gave Ukraine Republicans, who are poised to take control of the House in January, have promised to audit the immense amount of money our Congress has been shipping off to fight another country’s war. Among the goals of the audit would be determining how much of the money ended up in the “wrong hands” as previous tracking efforts proved the Biden administration only inspected a small fraction of the funds. Republicans are not without allies across the aisle in this effort. As it turns out, there are still a few, truly and consistently, anti-war folks left on the Democrat’s bench who share the GOP’s concern over our involvement in this conflict. “The taxpayers deserve to know that investment is going where it’s intended to go,” Rep. Jason Crow, D (CO), said. “In any war, there can be missteps and misallocation of supplies.” According to reports, only 10% of the 22,000 weapons the US gave Ukraine between February and November 1 have been inspected. The threats of an audit have led to a lot of handwringing by warmongers in both parties, as well as overseas. Members of Parliament have worried out loud that these investigations may lead to the US cutting its funding to Ukraine altogether…which would be, umm, ideal. While we should absolutely not be involved in this proxy war that is threatening global peace, spurring an energy crisis, and deepening the recession many countries including our own are experiencing, a basic audit of the funds is the bare minimum here. It is outrageous that we’re sending billions of dollars to this cause at all, much less without any idea how they are being utilized. Some Congressional leaders, namely Rand Paul, have been working to mandate such oversight for some time and have largely been opposed by both Republican and Democrats. To enter a war, the US is supposed to require a vote by all members of Congress. That hasn’t happened in over two decades while, at the same time, we have invested trillions of taxpayer dollars and given up thousands of American lives involving ourselves in conflicts that don’t pertain to us and that the American people never got to vote on. https://thepoliticalinsider.com/monkeypox-gets-canceled-who-says-name-is-racist-changes-it-to-mpox/ Monkeypox Gets Canceled: WHO Says Name is Racist, Changes It to ‘Mpox’ In what seems to be another foray into left wing “logic,” the World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Monday that they would no longer use the term “monkeypox” because of “racist and stigmatizing language” over usage of the term. WHO released a statement which read in part, “Following a series of consultations with global experts, WHO will begin using a new preferred term ‘mpox’ as a synonym for monkeypox. Both names will be used simultaneously for one year while ‘monkeypox’ is phased out.” The trend of renaming diseases is not a new one. Political correctness was front and center for WHO as far back as 2015 when they released “Best Practices for the Naming of New Human Diseases.” At the time, WHO stated that new disease names should be assigned, “with the aim to minimize unnecessary negative impact of disease names on trade, travel, tourism or animal welfare, and avoid causing offense to any cultural, social, national, regional, professional or ethnic groups.” An earlier announcement was made in June after approximately thirty scientists declared there was, “urgent need for a non-discriminatory and non-stigmatizing nomenclature for the monkeypox virus.” The Biden administration, in their never ending search for perfect political correctness compliance, had already privately urged a name change, arguing that calling it monkeypox could be hampering vaccination efforts. Fight Laugh Feast Magazine Our Fight Laugh Feast Magazine is a quarterly issue that packs a punch like a 21 year Balvenie, no ice. We don’t water down our scotch, why would we water down our theology? Order a yearly subscription for yourself and then send a couple yearly subscriptions to your friends who have been drinking luke-warm evangelical cool-aid. Every quarter we promise quality food for the soul, wine for the heart, and some Red Bull for turning over tables. Our magazine will include cultural commentary, a Psalm of the quarter, recipes for feasting, laughter sprinkled through out the glossy pages, and more. Sign up today, at fightlaughfeast.com. Now it’s time for my favorite topic… sports! https://www.boundingintosports.com/2022/11/nhl-denies-the-truth-and-reality-embraces-and-promotes-transgender-idol-worship/ NHL Denies The Truth And Reality, Embraces And Promotes Transgender Idol Worship The National Hockey League made it abundantly clear they now worship at the altar of transgenderism when they recently declared that they deny reality by claiming that men can become women and women can become men. The organization posted to Twitter their support of a Team Trans Draft Tournament that was held in Middleton, Wisconsin. They wrote, “The NHL is proud to support this past weekend’s Team Trans Draft Tournament in Middleton, Wisconsin. This was the first tournament comprised entirely of transgender and nonbinary players, with around 80 folks participating!” The organization took it a step further when they responded to a user who asked, “So, men playing on womans team?” The league responded, “Trans women are women. Trans men are men. Nonbinary identity is real.” This tweet and the celebration of the tournament are not only a denial of reality, they are promoting other people to embrace in this denial of reality. This statement of idol worship comes a little over a month after the NHL embraced anti-white racism where they claimed in their Accelerating Diversity & Inclusion report that the organization’s teams are too white. In order to address what they view as a problem they revealed plans to reduce the percentage of white people that work for them. https://twitter.com/i/status/1582493338296532992 - Play Video Welp, there you go… hockey is dead. What do you make of the NHL worshiping at the altar of transgenderism and encouraging others to join in their idolatry?

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily Newsbrief for Wednesday, November 30th, 2022. Happy hump day everyone! I hope y’all have been having a good week… and before we get to the news, do you want your kids to be able to take on our wicked culture, and be dangerous? Look no further than NSA. New Saint Andrews: Today’s culture shifts like sand. But New Saint Andrews College is established on Christ, the immovable rock. It is a premier institution that forges evangelical leaders who don’t fear or hate the world. Guided by God’s Word, they take the world back because they’re equipped with the genius of classical liberal arts and God-honoring wisdom, thanks to a faculty dedicated to academic rigor and to God’s kingdom.Find out more, at nsa.edu/ https://thepostmillennial.com/white-paper-revolution-spreads-anti-ccp-protests-break-out-worldwide-as-chinese-students-demonstrate-in-key-cities?utm_campaign=64487 WHITE PAPER REVOLUTION SPREADS: Anti-CCP protests break out worldwide as Chinese students demonstrate in key cities Following days of ongoing protests in China, the "White Paper Revolution" has spread outside of the country, with protestors across the globe, many of Chinese descent, standing in solidarity with those in China protesting their country’s "Zero Covid" policy. In the US, college students at University of California Berkeley, NYU, and Columbia University gathered on their campuses, carrying white sheets of paper as those in China have been doing. The blank, white pages are a symbol of protest against Chinese censors. At Berkeley, students set up a candlelight vigil for the victims of a fire in a Urumqi apartment building. At least 10 people died in the fire after months of a strict Covid lockdown saw residents locked inside of their homes by officials. Lockdowns were blamed for the inability of fire fighters to put out the blaze fast enough, in which a 3-year-old was among the casualties. Protestors on Berkeley’s campus set fire to a masked Winnie the Pooh stuffed animal, representing Chinese President Xi Jinping. Students from NYU gathered in New York City’s Washington Square Park to protest in solidarity with Chinese citizens stepping up in their own country, setting up another candlelight vigil. Protestors in the square chanted "no lockdown, but freedom. No lies, but dignity. No Cultural Revolution, but reform. No supreme leaders, but votes. No slaves, but citizens. Twitter user Indy posted the footage. https://twitter.com/i/status/1597033132615602176 - Play Video At Columbia University in New York City, protestors used facemasks to cover the face of a statue that sits iconically before the schools largest library. Protestors held a banner that read, "Chinese Community Party, Step Down! Give Me Liberty of Death!" Demonstrations were also seen in Tokyo, Japan, with Chinese students protesting outside of the city’s Chinese Embassy while holding white sheets of paper. In London, England, protestors chanted "down with the party, down with Xi Jinping, Free China," flying the flag of East Turkestan, the region of China where the apartment fire broke out. Protests had sparked in China following the Urumqi apartment fire last week. Chinese citizens took to the streets in major cities like Shanghai and Beijing in opposition of the country’s "Zero Covid" policy, which issues strict restrictions for those found to be positive for the virus, including separating them from those who test negative, like family members. https://thepostmillennial.com/desantis-slams-apple-as-vassal-of-the-ccp-after-it-removes-airdrop-from-chinese-iphones?utm_campaign=64487 DeSantis SLAMS Apple as 'vassal of the CCP' after it limits AirDrop on Chinese iPhones Apple has beed accused of being vassals for the Chinese Communist Party by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis after the tech giant restricted its AirDrop feature amid White Paper Revolution protests breaking out across the country. Chinese citizens are demonstrating against the CCP's lockdown policies. The criticism comes as Apple and Google consider pulling Twitter from their respective app stores in response to owner Elon Musk's new free speech policies, which include dropping restrictions around so-called Covid disinformation. They have been encouraged to do so by some American journalists, including those at the Washington Post. Musk has said he is a free speech absolutist, and believes the platform should be open to discourse and should not engage in censorship. The AirDrop feature is a vital tool for those in authoritarian countries, as the feature uses direct connections between phones rather than using any internet signal to communicate. On November 9, Apple released its new iOS. The update made it so that iPhones sold in mainland China can only receive messages from people for just 10 minutes before the function stops working. Gov. DeSantis made several comments about China during a media appearance on Tuesday, where he accused Apple of being a "vassal of the CCP," and warned that "nuking" Twitter off the app store would be anti-free speech. https://rumble.com/v1xw06a-desantis-slams-apple-for-being-a-vassal-of-the-ccp..html - Play Video Yesterday, Musk said that he was prepared to "go to war" with Apple over the prospect it pulling the app. In a tweet on Tuesday, Musk said that it is a "real problem" that Apple and Google "effectively control access to most of the Internet via their app stores." Protests in China have raged on across several cities in respose to extreme measures taken by the CCP under President Xi Jinping. On Monday, National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby was asked why the Biden administration had not responded more strongly in support of the ongoing people's protests in China against that country's authoritarian regime. Kirby said, "We're watching this closely as you might expect, we would. And again, we continue to stand up and support the right of peaceful protest. And I think we're gonna watch this closely and we'll see where things go." Kirby said that President Biden would not be speaking on behalf of protestors, and that the protestors are "speaking for themselves." Speaking of Big Tech: https://thepostmillennial.com/google-youtube-spend-millions-to-launch-global-fact-check-fund?utm_campaign=64487 Google, YouTube spend MILLIONS to launch Global Fact Check Fund On Tuesday, Google and YouTube announced that they will be providing a $13.2 million grant to the nonprofit Poynter Institute's International Fact Checking Network with the goal of launching a new "Global Fact Check Fund," set to launch in early 2023. The move, which marks the companies' largest fact-checking grant to date, comes as they continue to ramp up their fight against "misinformation" online. According to Google and YouTube, the grant will "support [the Poynter Institute's] network of 135 fact-checking organizations from 65 countries covering over 80 languages." The companies justified their decision by noting that "helping people to identify misinformation is a global challenge." "The Global Fact Check Fund," they explained, "will help fact-checkers to scale existing operations or launch new ones that elevate information, uplift credible sources and reduce the harm of mis- and disinformation around the globe." Organizations are expected to use the funding to "incorporate new technologies, create or expand digital footprints, optimize verification tools, and increase their capacities to deepen audience engagement through innovative storytelling formats such as audio, video, or podcasts." "The world needs fact-checking more than ever before," IFCN executive director Baybars Örsek said. "This partnership with Google and YouTube infuses financial support to global fact-checkers and is a step in the right direction, and while there’s much work to be done, this partnership has sparked meaningful collaboration and an important step. In recent years, investments in programs aimed at tackling mis- and disinformation online have grown in tandem with peoples' interest and awareness in the subject. According to data from Google, in October 2022, interest in mis- and disinformation across the world reached its highest point since 2004, when records began, with the most pressing topic being the Covid-19 pandemic. During the pandemic, big tech's fact-checking apparatus went into overdrive as companies struggled to keep up with information that seemed to be changing on a daily, if not hourly basis. YouTube has been criticized for its crackdowns on those who shared ideas that opposed the mainstream, many of whom have had their views vindicated in the months since. https://www.based-politics.com/2022/11/29/biden-rushing-to-track-the-20-billion-we-gave-ukraine/ Biden rushing to track the $20 billion we gave Ukraine Republicans, who are poised to take control of the House in January, have promised to audit the immense amount of money our Congress has been shipping off to fight another country’s war. Among the goals of the audit would be determining how much of the money ended up in the “wrong hands” as previous tracking efforts proved the Biden administration only inspected a small fraction of the funds. Republicans are not without allies across the aisle in this effort. As it turns out, there are still a few, truly and consistently, anti-war folks left on the Democrat’s bench who share the GOP’s concern over our involvement in this conflict. “The taxpayers deserve to know that investment is going where it’s intended to go,” Rep. Jason Crow, D (CO), said. “In any war, there can be missteps and misallocation of supplies.” According to reports, only 10% of the 22,000 weapons the US gave Ukraine between February and November 1 have been inspected. The threats of an audit have led to a lot of handwringing by warmongers in both parties, as well as overseas. Members of Parliament have worried out loud that these investigations may lead to the US cutting its funding to Ukraine altogether…which would be, umm, ideal. While we should absolutely not be involved in this proxy war that is threatening global peace, spurring an energy crisis, and deepening the recession many countries including our own are experiencing, a basic audit of the funds is the bare minimum here. It is outrageous that we’re sending billions of dollars to this cause at all, much less without any idea how they are being utilized. Some Congressional leaders, namely Rand Paul, have been working to mandate such oversight for some time and have largely been opposed by both Republican and Democrats. To enter a war, the US is supposed to require a vote by all members of Congress. That hasn’t happened in over two decades while, at the same time, we have invested trillions of taxpayer dollars and given up thousands of American lives involving ourselves in conflicts that don’t pertain to us and that the American people never got to vote on. https://thepoliticalinsider.com/monkeypox-gets-canceled-who-says-name-is-racist-changes-it-to-mpox/ Monkeypox Gets Canceled: WHO Says Name is Racist, Changes It to ‘Mpox’ In what seems to be another foray into left wing “logic,” the World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Monday that they would no longer use the term “monkeypox” because of “racist and stigmatizing language” over usage of the term. WHO released a statement which read in part, “Following a series of consultations with global experts, WHO will begin using a new preferred term ‘mpox’ as a synonym for monkeypox. Both names will be used simultaneously for one year while ‘monkeypox’ is phased out.” The trend of renaming diseases is not a new one. Political correctness was front and center for WHO as far back as 2015 when they released “Best Practices for the Naming of New Human Diseases.” At the time, WHO stated that new disease names should be assigned, “with the aim to minimize unnecessary negative impact of disease names on trade, travel, tourism or animal welfare, and avoid causing offense to any cultural, social, national, regional, professional or ethnic groups.” An earlier announcement was made in June after approximately thirty scientists declared there was, “urgent need for a non-discriminatory and non-stigmatizing nomenclature for the monkeypox virus.” The Biden administration, in their never ending search for perfect political correctness compliance, had already privately urged a name change, arguing that calling it monkeypox could be hampering vaccination efforts. Fight Laugh Feast Magazine Our Fight Laugh Feast Magazine is a quarterly issue that packs a punch like a 21 year Balvenie, no ice. We don’t water down our scotch, why would we water down our theology? Order a yearly subscription for yourself and then send a couple yearly subscriptions to your friends who have been drinking luke-warm evangelical cool-aid. Every quarter we promise quality food for the soul, wine for the heart, and some Red Bull for turning over tables. Our magazine will include cultural commentary, a Psalm of the quarter, recipes for feasting, laughter sprinkled through out the glossy pages, and more. Sign up today, at fightlaughfeast.com. Now it’s time for my favorite topic… sports! https://www.boundingintosports.com/2022/11/nhl-denies-the-truth-and-reality-embraces-and-promotes-transgender-idol-worship/ NHL Denies The Truth And Reality, Embraces And Promotes Transgender Idol Worship The National Hockey League made it abundantly clear they now worship at the altar of transgenderism when they recently declared that they deny reality by claiming that men can become women and women can become men. The organization posted to Twitter their support of a Team Trans Draft Tournament that was held in Middleton, Wisconsin. They wrote, “The NHL is proud to support this past weekend’s Team Trans Draft Tournament in Middleton, Wisconsin. This was the first tournament comprised entirely of transgender and nonbinary players, with around 80 folks participating!” The organization took it a step further when they responded to a user who asked, “So, men playing on womans team?” The league responded, “Trans women are women. Trans men are men. Nonbinary identity is real.” This tweet and the celebration of the tournament are not only a denial of reality, they are promoting other people to embrace in this denial of reality. This statement of idol worship comes a little over a month after the NHL embraced anti-white racism where they claimed in their Accelerating Diversity & Inclusion report that the organization’s teams are too white. In order to address what they view as a problem they revealed plans to reduce the percentage of white people that work for them. https://twitter.com/i/status/1582493338296532992 - Play Video Welp, there you go… hockey is dead. What do you make of the NHL worshiping at the altar of transgenderism and encouraging others to join in their idolatry?

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily Newsbrief for Wednesday, November 30th, 2022. Happy hump day everyone! I hope y’all have been having a good week… and before we get to the news, do you want your kids to be able to take on our wicked culture, and be dangerous? Look no further than NSA. New Saint Andrews: Today’s culture shifts like sand. But New Saint Andrews College is established on Christ, the immovable rock. It is a premier institution that forges evangelical leaders who don’t fear or hate the world. Guided by God’s Word, they take the world back because they’re equipped with the genius of classical liberal arts and God-honoring wisdom, thanks to a faculty dedicated to academic rigor and to God’s kingdom.Find out more, at nsa.edu/ https://thepostmillennial.com/white-paper-revolution-spreads-anti-ccp-protests-break-out-worldwide-as-chinese-students-demonstrate-in-key-cities?utm_campaign=64487 WHITE PAPER REVOLUTION SPREADS: Anti-CCP protests break out worldwide as Chinese students demonstrate in key cities Following days of ongoing protests in China, the "White Paper Revolution" has spread outside of the country, with protestors across the globe, many of Chinese descent, standing in solidarity with those in China protesting their country’s "Zero Covid" policy. In the US, college students at University of California Berkeley, NYU, and Columbia University gathered on their campuses, carrying white sheets of paper as those in China have been doing. The blank, white pages are a symbol of protest against Chinese censors. At Berkeley, students set up a candlelight vigil for the victims of a fire in a Urumqi apartment building. At least 10 people died in the fire after months of a strict Covid lockdown saw residents locked inside of their homes by officials. Lockdowns were blamed for the inability of fire fighters to put out the blaze fast enough, in which a 3-year-old was among the casualties. Protestors on Berkeley’s campus set fire to a masked Winnie the Pooh stuffed animal, representing Chinese President Xi Jinping. Students from NYU gathered in New York City’s Washington Square Park to protest in solidarity with Chinese citizens stepping up in their own country, setting up another candlelight vigil. Protestors in the square chanted "no lockdown, but freedom. No lies, but dignity. No Cultural Revolution, but reform. No supreme leaders, but votes. No slaves, but citizens. Twitter user Indy posted the footage. https://twitter.com/i/status/1597033132615602176 - Play Video At Columbia University in New York City, protestors used facemasks to cover the face of a statue that sits iconically before the schools largest library. Protestors held a banner that read, "Chinese Community Party, Step Down! Give Me Liberty of Death!" Demonstrations were also seen in Tokyo, Japan, with Chinese students protesting outside of the city’s Chinese Embassy while holding white sheets of paper. In London, England, protestors chanted "down with the party, down with Xi Jinping, Free China," flying the flag of East Turkestan, the region of China where the apartment fire broke out. Protests had sparked in China following the Urumqi apartment fire last week. Chinese citizens took to the streets in major cities like Shanghai and Beijing in opposition of the country’s "Zero Covid" policy, which issues strict restrictions for those found to be positive for the virus, including separating them from those who test negative, like family members. https://thepostmillennial.com/desantis-slams-apple-as-vassal-of-the-ccp-after-it-removes-airdrop-from-chinese-iphones?utm_campaign=64487 DeSantis SLAMS Apple as 'vassal of the CCP' after it limits AirDrop on Chinese iPhones Apple has beed accused of being vassals for the Chinese Communist Party by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis after the tech giant restricted its AirDrop feature amid White Paper Revolution protests breaking out across the country. Chinese citizens are demonstrating against the CCP's lockdown policies. The criticism comes as Apple and Google consider pulling Twitter from their respective app stores in response to owner Elon Musk's new free speech policies, which include dropping restrictions around so-called Covid disinformation. They have been encouraged to do so by some American journalists, including those at the Washington Post. Musk has said he is a free speech absolutist, and believes the platform should be open to discourse and should not engage in censorship. The AirDrop feature is a vital tool for those in authoritarian countries, as the feature uses direct connections between phones rather than using any internet signal to communicate. On November 9, Apple released its new iOS. The update made it so that iPhones sold in mainland China can only receive messages from people for just 10 minutes before the function stops working. Gov. DeSantis made several comments about China during a media appearance on Tuesday, where he accused Apple of being a "vassal of the CCP," and warned that "nuking" Twitter off the app store would be anti-free speech. https://rumble.com/v1xw06a-desantis-slams-apple-for-being-a-vassal-of-the-ccp..html - Play Video Yesterday, Musk said that he was prepared to "go to war" with Apple over the prospect it pulling the app. In a tweet on Tuesday, Musk said that it is a "real problem" that Apple and Google "effectively control access to most of the Internet via their app stores." Protests in China have raged on across several cities in respose to extreme measures taken by the CCP under President Xi Jinping. On Monday, National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby was asked why the Biden administration had not responded more strongly in support of the ongoing people's protests in China against that country's authoritarian regime. Kirby said, "We're watching this closely as you might expect, we would. And again, we continue to stand up and support the right of peaceful protest. And I think we're gonna watch this closely and we'll see where things go." Kirby said that President Biden would not be speaking on behalf of protestors, and that the protestors are "speaking for themselves." Speaking of Big Tech: https://thepostmillennial.com/google-youtube-spend-millions-to-launch-global-fact-check-fund?utm_campaign=64487 Google, YouTube spend MILLIONS to launch Global Fact Check Fund On Tuesday, Google and YouTube announced that they will be providing a $13.2 million grant to the nonprofit Poynter Institute's International Fact Checking Network with the goal of launching a new "Global Fact Check Fund," set to launch in early 2023. The move, which marks the companies' largest fact-checking grant to date, comes as they continue to ramp up their fight against "misinformation" online. According to Google and YouTube, the grant will "support [the Poynter Institute's] network of 135 fact-checking organizations from 65 countries covering over 80 languages." The companies justified their decision by noting that "helping people to identify misinformation is a global challenge." "The Global Fact Check Fund," they explained, "will help fact-checkers to scale existing operations or launch new ones that elevate information, uplift credible sources and reduce the harm of mis- and disinformation around the globe." Organizations are expected to use the funding to "incorporate new technologies, create or expand digital footprints, optimize verification tools, and increase their capacities to deepen audience engagement through innovative storytelling formats such as audio, video, or podcasts." "The world needs fact-checking more than ever before," IFCN executive director Baybars Örsek said. "This partnership with Google and YouTube infuses financial support to global fact-checkers and is a step in the right direction, and while there’s much work to be done, this partnership has sparked meaningful collaboration and an important step. In recent years, investments in programs aimed at tackling mis- and disinformation online have grown in tandem with peoples' interest and awareness in the subject. According to data from Google, in October 2022, interest in mis- and disinformation across the world reached its highest point since 2004, when records began, with the most pressing topic being the Covid-19 pandemic. During the pandemic, big tech's fact-checking apparatus went into overdrive as companies struggled to keep up with information that seemed to be changing on a daily, if not hourly basis. YouTube has been criticized for its crackdowns on those who shared ideas that opposed the mainstream, many of whom have had their views vindicated in the months since. https://www.based-politics.com/2022/11/29/biden-rushing-to-track-the-20-billion-we-gave-ukraine/ Biden rushing to track the $20 billion we gave Ukraine Republicans, who are poised to take control of the House in January, have promised to audit the immense amount of money our Congress has been shipping off to fight another country’s war. Among the goals of the audit would be determining how much of the money ended up in the “wrong hands” as previous tracking efforts proved the Biden administration only inspected a small fraction of the funds. Republicans are not without allies across the aisle in this effort. As it turns out, there are still a few, truly and consistently, anti-war folks left on the Democrat’s bench who share the GOP’s concern over our involvement in this conflict. “The taxpayers deserve to know that investment is going where it’s intended to go,” Rep. Jason Crow, D (CO), said. “In any war, there can be missteps and misallocation of supplies.” According to reports, only 10% of the 22,000 weapons the US gave Ukraine between February and November 1 have been inspected. The threats of an audit have led to a lot of handwringing by warmongers in both parties, as well as overseas. Members of Parliament have worried out loud that these investigations may lead to the US cutting its funding to Ukraine altogether…which would be, umm, ideal. While we should absolutely not be involved in this proxy war that is threatening global peace, spurring an energy crisis, and deepening the recession many countries including our own are experiencing, a basic audit of the funds is the bare minimum here. It is outrageous that we’re sending billions of dollars to this cause at all, much less without any idea how they are being utilized. Some Congressional leaders, namely Rand Paul, have been working to mandate such oversight for some time and have largely been opposed by both Republican and Democrats. To enter a war, the US is supposed to require a vote by all members of Congress. That hasn’t happened in over two decades while, at the same time, we have invested trillions of taxpayer dollars and given up thousands of American lives involving ourselves in conflicts that don’t pertain to us and that the American people never got to vote on. https://thepoliticalinsider.com/monkeypox-gets-canceled-who-says-name-is-racist-changes-it-to-mpox/ Monkeypox Gets Canceled: WHO Says Name is Racist, Changes It to ‘Mpox’ In what seems to be another foray into left wing “logic,” the World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Monday that they would no longer use the term “monkeypox” because of “racist and stigmatizing language” over usage of the term. WHO released a statement which read in part, “Following a series of consultations with global experts, WHO will begin using a new preferred term ‘mpox’ as a synonym for monkeypox. Both names will be used simultaneously for one year while ‘monkeypox’ is phased out.” The trend of renaming diseases is not a new one. Political correctness was front and center for WHO as far back as 2015 when they released “Best Practices for the Naming of New Human Diseases.” At the time, WHO stated that new disease names should be assigned, “with the aim to minimize unnecessary negative impact of disease names on trade, travel, tourism or animal welfare, and avoid causing offense to any cultural, social, national, regional, professional or ethnic groups.” An earlier announcement was made in June after approximately thirty scientists declared there was, “urgent need for a non-discriminatory and non-stigmatizing nomenclature for the monkeypox virus.” The Biden administration, in their never ending search for perfect political correctness compliance, had already privately urged a name change, arguing that calling it monkeypox could be hampering vaccination efforts. Fight Laugh Feast Magazine Our Fight Laugh Feast Magazine is a quarterly issue that packs a punch like a 21 year Balvenie, no ice. We don’t water down our scotch, why would we water down our theology? Order a yearly subscription for yourself and then send a couple yearly subscriptions to your friends who have been drinking luke-warm evangelical cool-aid. Every quarter we promise quality food for the soul, wine for the heart, and some Red Bull for turning over tables. Our magazine will include cultural commentary, a Psalm of the quarter, recipes for feasting, laughter sprinkled through out the glossy pages, and more. Sign up today, at fightlaughfeast.com. Now it’s time for my favorite topic… sports! https://www.boundingintosports.com/2022/11/nhl-denies-the-truth-and-reality-embraces-and-promotes-transgender-idol-worship/ NHL Denies The Truth And Reality, Embraces And Promotes Transgender Idol Worship The National Hockey League made it abundantly clear they now worship at the altar of transgenderism when they recently declared that they deny reality by claiming that men can become women and women can become men. The organization posted to Twitter their support of a Team Trans Draft Tournament that was held in Middleton, Wisconsin. They wrote, “The NHL is proud to support this past weekend’s Team Trans Draft Tournament in Middleton, Wisconsin. This was the first tournament comprised entirely of transgender and nonbinary players, with around 80 folks participating!” The organization took it a step further when they responded to a user who asked, “So, men playing on womans team?” The league responded, “Trans women are women. Trans men are men. Nonbinary identity is real.” This tweet and the celebration of the tournament are not only a denial of reality, they are promoting other people to embrace in this denial of reality. This statement of idol worship comes a little over a month after the NHL embraced anti-white racism where they claimed in their Accelerating Diversity & Inclusion report that the organization’s teams are too white. In order to address what they view as a problem they revealed plans to reduce the percentage of white people that work for them. https://twitter.com/i/status/1582493338296532992 - Play Video Welp, there you go… hockey is dead. What do you make of the NHL worshiping at the altar of transgenderism and encouraging others to join in their idolatry?

An analysis of initial reports -- later denied by Chinese Embassy -- on blacklisting of Philippines for Chinese tourists due to POGO phenomena.

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This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily News Brief for Friday, August 5th, 2022. Today, we’ll hear about a private school excluding white families from a back-to-school event, China fires missiles into Taiwanese waters’ calling them training exercises. CNN’s ratings are continuing to fall, Amazon’s new Lord of the Rings looks like a woke dumpster fire, and more… but first: Club Membership Plug: Let’s stop and take a moment to talk about Fight Laugh Feast Club membership. By joining the Fight Laugh Feast Army, not only will you be aiding in our fight to take down secular & legacy media; but you’ll also get access to content placed in our Club Portal, such as past shows, all of our conference talks, and EXCLUSIVE content for club members that you won’t be able to find anywhere else. Lastly, you’ll also get discounts for our conferences… so if you’ve got $10 bucks a month to kick over our way, you can sign up now at fightlaughfeast.com Let’s start with our friends over at CNN… what’s going on?! https://thepostmillennial.com/cnn-ratings-collapse-as-network-looks-for-new-revenue-including-extending-the-brand-in-china?utm_campaign=64487 CNN ratings collapse as network looks for 'new revenue'—including 'extending' the brand in China Over at CNN the "hunt is on for new revenue" as the news network's "ratings plummet" and "profits slump" below nearly $1 billion. On Tuesday, the New York Times reported that CNN's yearly profitability is expected to decline to $956.8 according to projections from S&P Global Market Intelligence. CNN's annual profits haven't sunk below $1 billion since 2016, the year Donald Trump beat Hilary Clinton in the presidential election and subsequently became a prominent figure in their commentary. "Ratings are down from their Trump-era heights across cable news, but declines at CNN are particularly pronounced," the Times noted. CNN viewership is about 639,000 in the prime time hours slot, which is down 27 percent from last year. More people on average watch MSNBC, whose viewership is down 23 percent, and Fox wins over both networks and is up about a percentage point in overall viewers. Fox's ascension in rating while MSNBC and CNN decline is the continuation of a stark pattern reported in 2021 which saw Fox News on top averaging 1.3 million in total day viewers, compared to 919,000 at MSNBC and 787,000 watching CNN. CNN's entropic ratings is a continuing trend. "It's becoming increasingly apparent that the vast majority of Americans are rejecting fake news," The Post Millennial, reported in June as CNN recorded their worst weekend ratings since 1993. To recoup losses generated by CNN, parent company Warner Bros. Discovery is looking to sell programming created for some of its other services, such as HBO Max. They're also broadly cracking down on expenses such as spending money on work celebrations. CNN brought on Chris Marlin, a lawyer with no cable news experience, who suggested "striking advertising deals with major tech companies like Microsoft," "selling sponsorships to corporate underwriters," and "extending CNN’s brand in China." Well that’s some good news, but file this next article under things that would make one lose faith in humanity: https://thepostmillennial.com/80-year-old-granny-banned-from-ymca-after-demanding-biological-male-leave-womens-locker-room-where-little-girls-were-undressing?utm_campaign=64487 80-year-old granny banned from YMCA after demanding biological male leave women's locker room where little girls were undressing An 80-year-old Washington state woman has been banned from using her local YMCA's public pool after she expressed discomfort with a biological male in the women’s locker room as young girls were undressing. She was in the shower when she heard a male voice and peeked out to find a biological male in a women's swimsuit engaging with little girls who were undressing. The biological male was reportedly with girls from the day camp, overseeing their bathroom activities. Jaman said that she had been showering after her July 26 swim at the pool, when she heard "a man’s voice in the women’s dressing area." She said that she saw "a man in a women’s swimsuit, watching little girls pull down their bathing suits in order to use the toilets in the dressing room." In an email from the YMCA’s Marketing and Communications Manager to The Post Millennial, they said that the staff member was not "engaging" with these girls, but rather escorting them to the dressing room. According to the Port Townsend Free Press, Jaman, who had been in the shower when she realized what was happening, hidden behind thin, sheer shower curtains, asked this person, revealed to go by the name Clementine Adams, "Do you have a penis?" "None of your business," Adams reportedly responded. "Get out of here, right now," Jaman replied. "You’re discriminating and you can’t use the pool anymore and I’m calling the police," YMCA aquatics manager Rowen DeLuna told Jaman after she requested that Adams leave the room, according to the Port Townsend Free Press. In an email from the YMCA’s Marketing and Communications Manager, they said that Jaman was not permanently suspended for this incident alone, but rather due to "repeatedly violating the Olympic Peninsula YMCA code of conduct, specifically, using disrespectful words or gestures towards YMCA staff or others; and abusive, harassing and/or obscene language or gestures towards YMCA staff or others." Per Washington state law, "All covered entities shall allow individuals the use of gender-segregated facilities, such as restrooms, locker rooms, dressing rooms, and homeless or emergency shelters, that are consistent with that individual's gender expression or gender identity." "The Y has not provided any dressing, shower room options for women who do not want to be exposed to men who identify as women," Jaman added. The state of Washington strikes again… But let’s allow Conneticut get in on the action! https://www.nationalreview.com/news/connecticut-private-school-excludes-white-families-from-back-to-school-event/ Connecticut Private School Excludes White Families from Back-to-School Event Greenwich Country Day School (GCDS), a private school in Greenwich, Conn., sent a letter to the families of students on Monday inviting them to a back-to-school event, so long as they identify as a racial minority. “The annual Cider and Donuts event is open to GCDS families who identify as Black, Asian, Latinx, multi-racial, Indigenous, Middle Eastern, and/or people of color,” read the letter, which was obtained by National Review. The letter was addressed to “GCDS families” and was signed by the director and associate director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). Above the description of the event, scheduled for October 8, it mentioned the importance of “building an inclusive, just and equitable community reflecting the multitude of human identities and perspectives in our world.” The school’s DEI website states that its mission is to “nurture meaningful learning through interactions and collaborations between people of diverse and intersecting identities,” including “race and ethnicity,” and its annual tuition ranges between $37,150 and $48,500. Let’s shift our eyes overseas https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-china-fires-ballistic-missiles-into-taiwanese-waters China Fires Ballistic Missiles Into Taiwanese Waters On Thursday, Taiwan said that Communist China fired a number of Dongfeng series ballistic missiles into waters by Taiwan’s northeast and southwest. Other reports said the Taiwanese government asserted that Communist China had fired two missiles from the nearby Matsu Islands. Further reports stated that roughly ten Chinese navy ships crossed the Taiwan Strait median line. Meanwhile, President Biden’s administration reportedly has been lobbying against a bill that would support Taiwan by naming it a major non-NATO ally, according to people familiar with the matter. The bill would give $4.5 billion in security aid and support its presence in international organizations. Before House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan this week, China’s foreign ministry issued a protest to the United States, threatening that a visit “seriously infringes upon China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.” China’s defense ministry said it would launch “targeted military operations,” France 24 reported, adding, “The Chinese military announced joint air and sea drills near Taiwan starting on Tuesday night and test launch of conventional missiles in the sea east of Taiwan, with Chinese state news agency Xinhua describing live-fire drills and other exercises around Taiwan from Thursday to Sunday.” Last Thursday, according to the Chinese Embassy in Washington, Chinese leader Xi Jinping threatened the U.S. in a conversation with President Joe Biden about America’s ties to Taiwan. “Those who play with fire will perish by it. It is hoped that the U.S. will be clear-eyed about this,” the Chinese statement said Xi warned. https://news.usni.org/2022/08/02/chinese-and-russian-ships-sailing-near-japanese-mod-says Chinese and Russian Ships Sailing Near Japan, Japanese MoD Says People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) and Russian Navy warships have made independent transits around Japan over the past few days, the Japanese Ministry of Defense said this week. Japan spotted a Russian Navy corvette on Friday at 6 p.m. sailing east in an area 50 kilometers from Cape Soya, according to one of three new releases issued by the Joint Staff Office (JSO) of the Ministry of Defense Monday. Now, we take a dive into the world of entertainment, or at least Amazon’s view of entertainment: https://boundingintocomics.com/2022/08/03/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-rings-of-power-actress-nazanin-boniadi-says-her-character-is-an-activist-credits-prime-video-writers-for-giving-female-characters-agency/ ‘The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power’ Actress Nazanin Boniadi Says Her Character Is An Activist, Credits Prime Video Writers For Giving Female Characters Agency Actress Nazanin Boniadi, who plays Bronwyn in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, recently described her character as an activist while also crediting the Prime Video writers of the show for giving female characters agency. Boniadi appeared at San Diego Comic-Con at the end of July where she talked to the media and specifically praised the writers on the show for giving female characters agency. Boniadi said, “What I love about the writers on this show is that they have given every woman on the show, every female character, such agency.” “We don’t serve the men around us, we have a storyline and our own right,” she added. The actress also stated at San Diego Comic-Con, “For Bronwyn, she is a healer. But she taps into her inner lioness and I as an activist, as a longtime human rights activist from my homeland, Iran… I tapped into what I believe women are doing for my homeland.” “And playing with character in sort of liberating and redeeming the Southlanders who back you know, in her ancestors’ days, chose evil over good,” she added. https://twitter.com/i/status/1551302209299591170 - Play Video Can I just add that her character doesn’t exist in the books? Or anywhere in Middle Earth’s lore? Because there weren’t enough characters right? This show is going to be a massive disaster. https://www.breitbart.com/sports/2022/08/03/trans-cyclist-blasts-usa-cycling-banning-him-competition-revoking-medal/ Guys lets end this week on a positive note here by talking about the topic that I love… sports! Trans Cyclist Blasts USA Cycling for Banning Him from Competition, Revoking Medal A transgender cyclist claims that a representative from USA Cycling informed him that he would no longer be allowed to compete in the women’s division and that his spot on the IP (individual pursuit) podium had been revoked. Leia Genis, a 25-year-old man who identifies as a woman, was reportedly stripped of the silver medal he won in the women’s division of USA Cycling and barred from competing in any additional events at the 2022 Junior & Elite Track National Championships. “USA Cycling updated its press release Friday by deleting a reference to Genis and elevating third-place finisher Skyler Espinoza to the runner-up slot,” the Washington Times reported. “Cyclist Elizabeth Stevenson, who placed fourth in the Wednesday competition, was credited as the bronze medalist.” Genis had won silver after finishing second at the Elite Individual Pursuit competition. The transgender cyclist wrote on Instagram, “…as I was preparing for the mass start races, a USA Cycling official informed me that I was no longer allowed to compete and that my place on the IP podium was to be revoked on account of my trans identity. . “6 weeks ago, I was eligible for competition at UCI C1 and C2 races held at the same velodrome and overseen by the same technical director. Yet 6 weeks later, now that I am doing well at nationals, I am suddenly ineligible to compete.” . Genis added, “The transphobia is so blatant it’s almost laughable.” The reason why Genis is unable to compete is due to the UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) changing the testosterone requirements in their transgender policy. According to the new rules put forth on July 1, those declaring themselves to be female must keep their testosterone in serum below 2.5 nanomoles/Liter for at least two years. Previously, the requirement had been twice that high, at 5.0 nanomoles/Liter. And athletes only had to maintain those levels for one year. In other words, legally, racing as a trans cyclist got a lot tougher over the last six weeks. Genis went on to rail about how “frustrating” it is to be a trans competitor in cycling. Though, one might imagine it’s even more frustrating for the female riders who lose to cyclists who are actually men. Still, Genis’ removal from women’s competition is a significant victory for women’s sports. The case involving Genis is just one of many examples showing that sports leagues have begun to stand for women’s rights. Earlier this summer, FINA, the international governing body that presides over competitive swimming, banned males who have undergone puberty from competing in their events. Thanks for tuning into this episode of the CrossPolitic Daily News Brief. If you liked the show, go ahead and share it would ya? If you want to sign up for a club membership, our conference, or for a magazine subscription, you can do all of that at fightlaughfeast.com… and as always, if you want to send me a news story, ask me about our conference, or talk about corporate sponsorships with CrossPolitic, email me at garrison@fightlaughfeast.com. For CrossPolitic news, I’m Garrison Hardie. Have a great day, and Lord bless.

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily News Brief for Friday, August 5th, 2022. Today, we’ll hear about a private school excluding white families from a back-to-school event, China fires missiles into Taiwanese waters’ calling them training exercises. CNN’s ratings are continuing to fall, Amazon’s new Lord of the Rings looks like a woke dumpster fire, and more… but first: Club Membership Plug: Let’s stop and take a moment to talk about Fight Laugh Feast Club membership. By joining the Fight Laugh Feast Army, not only will you be aiding in our fight to take down secular & legacy media; but you’ll also get access to content placed in our Club Portal, such as past shows, all of our conference talks, and EXCLUSIVE content for club members that you won’t be able to find anywhere else. Lastly, you’ll also get discounts for our conferences… so if you’ve got $10 bucks a month to kick over our way, you can sign up now at fightlaughfeast.com Let’s start with our friends over at CNN… what’s going on?! https://thepostmillennial.com/cnn-ratings-collapse-as-network-looks-for-new-revenue-including-extending-the-brand-in-china?utm_campaign=64487 CNN ratings collapse as network looks for 'new revenue'—including 'extending' the brand in China Over at CNN the "hunt is on for new revenue" as the news network's "ratings plummet" and "profits slump" below nearly $1 billion. On Tuesday, the New York Times reported that CNN's yearly profitability is expected to decline to $956.8 according to projections from S&P Global Market Intelligence. CNN's annual profits haven't sunk below $1 billion since 2016, the year Donald Trump beat Hilary Clinton in the presidential election and subsequently became a prominent figure in their commentary. "Ratings are down from their Trump-era heights across cable news, but declines at CNN are particularly pronounced," the Times noted. CNN viewership is about 639,000 in the prime time hours slot, which is down 27 percent from last year. More people on average watch MSNBC, whose viewership is down 23 percent, and Fox wins over both networks and is up about a percentage point in overall viewers. Fox's ascension in rating while MSNBC and CNN decline is the continuation of a stark pattern reported in 2021 which saw Fox News on top averaging 1.3 million in total day viewers, compared to 919,000 at MSNBC and 787,000 watching CNN. CNN's entropic ratings is a continuing trend. "It's becoming increasingly apparent that the vast majority of Americans are rejecting fake news," The Post Millennial, reported in June as CNN recorded their worst weekend ratings since 1993. To recoup losses generated by CNN, parent company Warner Bros. Discovery is looking to sell programming created for some of its other services, such as HBO Max. They're also broadly cracking down on expenses such as spending money on work celebrations. CNN brought on Chris Marlin, a lawyer with no cable news experience, who suggested "striking advertising deals with major tech companies like Microsoft," "selling sponsorships to corporate underwriters," and "extending CNN’s brand in China." Well that’s some good news, but file this next article under things that would make one lose faith in humanity: https://thepostmillennial.com/80-year-old-granny-banned-from-ymca-after-demanding-biological-male-leave-womens-locker-room-where-little-girls-were-undressing?utm_campaign=64487 80-year-old granny banned from YMCA after demanding biological male leave women's locker room where little girls were undressing An 80-year-old Washington state woman has been banned from using her local YMCA's public pool after she expressed discomfort with a biological male in the women’s locker room as young girls were undressing. She was in the shower when she heard a male voice and peeked out to find a biological male in a women's swimsuit engaging with little girls who were undressing. The biological male was reportedly with girls from the day camp, overseeing their bathroom activities. Jaman said that she had been showering after her July 26 swim at the pool, when she heard "a man’s voice in the women’s dressing area." She said that she saw "a man in a women’s swimsuit, watching little girls pull down their bathing suits in order to use the toilets in the dressing room." In an email from the YMCA’s Marketing and Communications Manager to The Post Millennial, they said that the staff member was not "engaging" with these girls, but rather escorting them to the dressing room. According to the Port Townsend Free Press, Jaman, who had been in the shower when she realized what was happening, hidden behind thin, sheer shower curtains, asked this person, revealed to go by the name Clementine Adams, "Do you have a penis?" "None of your business," Adams reportedly responded. "Get out of here, right now," Jaman replied. "You’re discriminating and you can’t use the pool anymore and I’m calling the police," YMCA aquatics manager Rowen DeLuna told Jaman after she requested that Adams leave the room, according to the Port Townsend Free Press. In an email from the YMCA’s Marketing and Communications Manager, they said that Jaman was not permanently suspended for this incident alone, but rather due to "repeatedly violating the Olympic Peninsula YMCA code of conduct, specifically, using disrespectful words or gestures towards YMCA staff or others; and abusive, harassing and/or obscene language or gestures towards YMCA staff or others." Per Washington state law, "All covered entities shall allow individuals the use of gender-segregated facilities, such as restrooms, locker rooms, dressing rooms, and homeless or emergency shelters, that are consistent with that individual's gender expression or gender identity." "The Y has not provided any dressing, shower room options for women who do not want to be exposed to men who identify as women," Jaman added. The state of Washington strikes again… But let’s allow Conneticut get in on the action! https://www.nationalreview.com/news/connecticut-private-school-excludes-white-families-from-back-to-school-event/ Connecticut Private School Excludes White Families from Back-to-School Event Greenwich Country Day School (GCDS), a private school in Greenwich, Conn., sent a letter to the families of students on Monday inviting them to a back-to-school event, so long as they identify as a racial minority. “The annual Cider and Donuts event is open to GCDS families who identify as Black, Asian, Latinx, multi-racial, Indigenous, Middle Eastern, and/or people of color,” read the letter, which was obtained by National Review. The letter was addressed to “GCDS families” and was signed by the director and associate director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). Above the description of the event, scheduled for October 8, it mentioned the importance of “building an inclusive, just and equitable community reflecting the multitude of human identities and perspectives in our world.” The school’s DEI website states that its mission is to “nurture meaningful learning through interactions and collaborations between people of diverse and intersecting identities,” including “race and ethnicity,” and its annual tuition ranges between $37,150 and $48,500. Let’s shift our eyes overseas https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-china-fires-ballistic-missiles-into-taiwanese-waters China Fires Ballistic Missiles Into Taiwanese Waters On Thursday, Taiwan said that Communist China fired a number of Dongfeng series ballistic missiles into waters by Taiwan’s northeast and southwest. Other reports said the Taiwanese government asserted that Communist China had fired two missiles from the nearby Matsu Islands. Further reports stated that roughly ten Chinese navy ships crossed the Taiwan Strait median line. Meanwhile, President Biden’s administration reportedly has been lobbying against a bill that would support Taiwan by naming it a major non-NATO ally, according to people familiar with the matter. The bill would give $4.5 billion in security aid and support its presence in international organizations. Before House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan this week, China’s foreign ministry issued a protest to the United States, threatening that a visit “seriously infringes upon China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.” China’s defense ministry said it would launch “targeted military operations,” France 24 reported, adding, “The Chinese military announced joint air and sea drills near Taiwan starting on Tuesday night and test launch of conventional missiles in the sea east of Taiwan, with Chinese state news agency Xinhua describing live-fire drills and other exercises around Taiwan from Thursday to Sunday.” Last Thursday, according to the Chinese Embassy in Washington, Chinese leader Xi Jinping threatened the U.S. in a conversation with President Joe Biden about America’s ties to Taiwan. “Those who play with fire will perish by it. It is hoped that the U.S. will be clear-eyed about this,” the Chinese statement said Xi warned. https://news.usni.org/2022/08/02/chinese-and-russian-ships-sailing-near-japanese-mod-says Chinese and Russian Ships Sailing Near Japan, Japanese MoD Says People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) and Russian Navy warships have made independent transits around Japan over the past few days, the Japanese Ministry of Defense said this week. Japan spotted a Russian Navy corvette on Friday at 6 p.m. sailing east in an area 50 kilometers from Cape Soya, according to one of three new releases issued by the Joint Staff Office (JSO) of the Ministry of Defense Monday. Now, we take a dive into the world of entertainment, or at least Amazon’s view of entertainment: https://boundingintocomics.com/2022/08/03/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-rings-of-power-actress-nazanin-boniadi-says-her-character-is-an-activist-credits-prime-video-writers-for-giving-female-characters-agency/ ‘The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power’ Actress Nazanin Boniadi Says Her Character Is An Activist, Credits Prime Video Writers For Giving Female Characters Agency Actress Nazanin Boniadi, who plays Bronwyn in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, recently described her character as an activist while also crediting the Prime Video writers of the show for giving female characters agency. Boniadi appeared at San Diego Comic-Con at the end of July where she talked to the media and specifically praised the writers on the show for giving female characters agency. Boniadi said, “What I love about the writers on this show is that they have given every woman on the show, every female character, such agency.” “We don’t serve the men around us, we have a storyline and our own right,” she added. The actress also stated at San Diego Comic-Con, “For Bronwyn, she is a healer. But she taps into her inner lioness and I as an activist, as a longtime human rights activist from my homeland, Iran… I tapped into what I believe women are doing for my homeland.” “And playing with character in sort of liberating and redeeming the Southlanders who back you know, in her ancestors’ days, chose evil over good,” she added. https://twitter.com/i/status/1551302209299591170 - Play Video Can I just add that her character doesn’t exist in the books? Or anywhere in Middle Earth’s lore? Because there weren’t enough characters right? This show is going to be a massive disaster. https://www.breitbart.com/sports/2022/08/03/trans-cyclist-blasts-usa-cycling-banning-him-competition-revoking-medal/ Guys lets end this week on a positive note here by talking about the topic that I love… sports! Trans Cyclist Blasts USA Cycling for Banning Him from Competition, Revoking Medal A transgender cyclist claims that a representative from USA Cycling informed him that he would no longer be allowed to compete in the women’s division and that his spot on the IP (individual pursuit) podium had been revoked. Leia Genis, a 25-year-old man who identifies as a woman, was reportedly stripped of the silver medal he won in the women’s division of USA Cycling and barred from competing in any additional events at the 2022 Junior & Elite Track National Championships. “USA Cycling updated its press release Friday by deleting a reference to Genis and elevating third-place finisher Skyler Espinoza to the runner-up slot,” the Washington Times reported. “Cyclist Elizabeth Stevenson, who placed fourth in the Wednesday competition, was credited as the bronze medalist.” Genis had won silver after finishing second at the Elite Individual Pursuit competition. The transgender cyclist wrote on Instagram, “…as I was preparing for the mass start races, a USA Cycling official informed me that I was no longer allowed to compete and that my place on the IP podium was to be revoked on account of my trans identity. . “6 weeks ago, I was eligible for competition at UCI C1 and C2 races held at the same velodrome and overseen by the same technical director. Yet 6 weeks later, now that I am doing well at nationals, I am suddenly ineligible to compete.” . Genis added, “The transphobia is so blatant it’s almost laughable.” The reason why Genis is unable to compete is due to the UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) changing the testosterone requirements in their transgender policy. According to the new rules put forth on July 1, those declaring themselves to be female must keep their testosterone in serum below 2.5 nanomoles/Liter for at least two years. Previously, the requirement had been twice that high, at 5.0 nanomoles/Liter. And athletes only had to maintain those levels for one year. In other words, legally, racing as a trans cyclist got a lot tougher over the last six weeks. Genis went on to rail about how “frustrating” it is to be a trans competitor in cycling. Though, one might imagine it’s even more frustrating for the female riders who lose to cyclists who are actually men. Still, Genis’ removal from women’s competition is a significant victory for women’s sports. The case involving Genis is just one of many examples showing that sports leagues have begun to stand for women’s rights. Earlier this summer, FINA, the international governing body that presides over competitive swimming, banned males who have undergone puberty from competing in their events. Thanks for tuning into this episode of the CrossPolitic Daily News Brief. If you liked the show, go ahead and share it would ya? If you want to sign up for a club membership, our conference, or for a magazine subscription, you can do all of that at fightlaughfeast.com… and as always, if you want to send me a news story, ask me about our conference, or talk about corporate sponsorships with CrossPolitic, email me at garrison@fightlaughfeast.com. For CrossPolitic news, I’m Garrison Hardie. Have a great day, and Lord bless.

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily News Brief for Friday, August 5th, 2022. Today, we’ll hear about a private school excluding white families from a back-to-school event, China fires missiles into Taiwanese waters’ calling them training exercises. CNN’s ratings are continuing to fall, Amazon’s new Lord of the Rings looks like a woke dumpster fire, and more… but first: Club Membership Plug: Let’s stop and take a moment to talk about Fight Laugh Feast Club membership. By joining the Fight Laugh Feast Army, not only will you be aiding in our fight to take down secular & legacy media; but you’ll also get access to content placed in our Club Portal, such as past shows, all of our conference talks, and EXCLUSIVE content for club members that you won’t be able to find anywhere else. Lastly, you’ll also get discounts for our conferences… so if you’ve got $10 bucks a month to kick over our way, you can sign up now at fightlaughfeast.com Let’s start with our friends over at CNN… what’s going on?! https://thepostmillennial.com/cnn-ratings-collapse-as-network-looks-for-new-revenue-including-extending-the-brand-in-china?utm_campaign=64487 CNN ratings collapse as network looks for 'new revenue'—including 'extending' the brand in China Over at CNN the "hunt is on for new revenue" as the news network's "ratings plummet" and "profits slump" below nearly $1 billion. On Tuesday, the New York Times reported that CNN's yearly profitability is expected to decline to $956.8 according to projections from S&P Global Market Intelligence. CNN's annual profits haven't sunk below $1 billion since 2016, the year Donald Trump beat Hilary Clinton in the presidential election and subsequently became a prominent figure in their commentary. "Ratings are down from their Trump-era heights across cable news, but declines at CNN are particularly pronounced," the Times noted. CNN viewership is about 639,000 in the prime time hours slot, which is down 27 percent from last year. More people on average watch MSNBC, whose viewership is down 23 percent, and Fox wins over both networks and is up about a percentage point in overall viewers. Fox's ascension in rating while MSNBC and CNN decline is the continuation of a stark pattern reported in 2021 which saw Fox News on top averaging 1.3 million in total day viewers, compared to 919,000 at MSNBC and 787,000 watching CNN. CNN's entropic ratings is a continuing trend. "It's becoming increasingly apparent that the vast majority of Americans are rejecting fake news," The Post Millennial, reported in June as CNN recorded their worst weekend ratings since 1993. To recoup losses generated by CNN, parent company Warner Bros. Discovery is looking to sell programming created for some of its other services, such as HBO Max. They're also broadly cracking down on expenses such as spending money on work celebrations. CNN brought on Chris Marlin, a lawyer with no cable news experience, who suggested "striking advertising deals with major tech companies like Microsoft," "selling sponsorships to corporate underwriters," and "extending CNN’s brand in China." Well that’s some good news, but file this next article under things that would make one lose faith in humanity: https://thepostmillennial.com/80-year-old-granny-banned-from-ymca-after-demanding-biological-male-leave-womens-locker-room-where-little-girls-were-undressing?utm_campaign=64487 80-year-old granny banned from YMCA after demanding biological male leave women's locker room where little girls were undressing An 80-year-old Washington state woman has been banned from using her local YMCA's public pool after she expressed discomfort with a biological male in the women’s locker room as young girls were undressing. She was in the shower when she heard a male voice and peeked out to find a biological male in a women's swimsuit engaging with little girls who were undressing. The biological male was reportedly with girls from the day camp, overseeing their bathroom activities. Jaman said that she had been showering after her July 26 swim at the pool, when she heard "a man’s voice in the women’s dressing area." She said that she saw "a man in a women’s swimsuit, watching little girls pull down their bathing suits in order to use the toilets in the dressing room." In an email from the YMCA’s Marketing and Communications Manager to The Post Millennial, they said that the staff member was not "engaging" with these girls, but rather escorting them to the dressing room. According to the Port Townsend Free Press, Jaman, who had been in the shower when she realized what was happening, hidden behind thin, sheer shower curtains, asked this person, revealed to go by the name Clementine Adams, "Do you have a penis?" "None of your business," Adams reportedly responded. "Get out of here, right now," Jaman replied. "You’re discriminating and you can’t use the pool anymore and I’m calling the police," YMCA aquatics manager Rowen DeLuna told Jaman after she requested that Adams leave the room, according to the Port Townsend Free Press. In an email from the YMCA’s Marketing and Communications Manager, they said that Jaman was not permanently suspended for this incident alone, but rather due to "repeatedly violating the Olympic Peninsula YMCA code of conduct, specifically, using disrespectful words or gestures towards YMCA staff or others; and abusive, harassing and/or obscene language or gestures towards YMCA staff or others." Per Washington state law, "All covered entities shall allow individuals the use of gender-segregated facilities, such as restrooms, locker rooms, dressing rooms, and homeless or emergency shelters, that are consistent with that individual's gender expression or gender identity." "The Y has not provided any dressing, shower room options for women who do not want to be exposed to men who identify as women," Jaman added. The state of Washington strikes again… But let’s allow Conneticut get in on the action! https://www.nationalreview.com/news/connecticut-private-school-excludes-white-families-from-back-to-school-event/ Connecticut Private School Excludes White Families from Back-to-School Event Greenwich Country Day School (GCDS), a private school in Greenwich, Conn., sent a letter to the families of students on Monday inviting them to a back-to-school event, so long as they identify as a racial minority. “The annual Cider and Donuts event is open to GCDS families who identify as Black, Asian, Latinx, multi-racial, Indigenous, Middle Eastern, and/or people of color,” read the letter, which was obtained by National Review. The letter was addressed to “GCDS families” and was signed by the director and associate director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). Above the description of the event, scheduled for October 8, it mentioned the importance of “building an inclusive, just and equitable community reflecting the multitude of human identities and perspectives in our world.” The school’s DEI website states that its mission is to “nurture meaningful learning through interactions and collaborations between people of diverse and intersecting identities,” including “race and ethnicity,” and its annual tuition ranges between $37,150 and $48,500. Let’s shift our eyes overseas https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-china-fires-ballistic-missiles-into-taiwanese-waters China Fires Ballistic Missiles Into Taiwanese Waters On Thursday, Taiwan said that Communist China fired a number of Dongfeng series ballistic missiles into waters by Taiwan’s northeast and southwest. Other reports said the Taiwanese government asserted that Communist China had fired two missiles from the nearby Matsu Islands. Further reports stated that roughly ten Chinese navy ships crossed the Taiwan Strait median line. Meanwhile, President Biden’s administration reportedly has been lobbying against a bill that would support Taiwan by naming it a major non-NATO ally, according to people familiar with the matter. The bill would give $4.5 billion in security aid and support its presence in international organizations. Before House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan this week, China’s foreign ministry issued a protest to the United States, threatening that a visit “seriously infringes upon China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.” China’s defense ministry said it would launch “targeted military operations,” France 24 reported, adding, “The Chinese military announced joint air and sea drills near Taiwan starting on Tuesday night and test launch of conventional missiles in the sea east of Taiwan, with Chinese state news agency Xinhua describing live-fire drills and other exercises around Taiwan from Thursday to Sunday.” Last Thursday, according to the Chinese Embassy in Washington, Chinese leader Xi Jinping threatened the U.S. in a conversation with President Joe Biden about America’s ties to Taiwan. “Those who play with fire will perish by it. It is hoped that the U.S. will be clear-eyed about this,” the Chinese statement said Xi warned. https://news.usni.org/2022/08/02/chinese-and-russian-ships-sailing-near-japanese-mod-says Chinese and Russian Ships Sailing Near Japan, Japanese MoD Says People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) and Russian Navy warships have made independent transits around Japan over the past few days, the Japanese Ministry of Defense said this week. Japan spotted a Russian Navy corvette on Friday at 6 p.m. sailing east in an area 50 kilometers from Cape Soya, according to one of three new releases issued by the Joint Staff Office (JSO) of the Ministry of Defense Monday. Now, we take a dive into the world of entertainment, or at least Amazon’s view of entertainment: https://boundingintocomics.com/2022/08/03/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-rings-of-power-actress-nazanin-boniadi-says-her-character-is-an-activist-credits-prime-video-writers-for-giving-female-characters-agency/ ‘The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power’ Actress Nazanin Boniadi Says Her Character Is An Activist, Credits Prime Video Writers For Giving Female Characters Agency Actress Nazanin Boniadi, who plays Bronwyn in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, recently described her character as an activist while also crediting the Prime Video writers of the show for giving female characters agency. Boniadi appeared at San Diego Comic-Con at the end of July where she talked to the media and specifically praised the writers on the show for giving female characters agency. Boniadi said, “What I love about the writers on this show is that they have given every woman on the show, every female character, such agency.” “We don’t serve the men around us, we have a storyline and our own right,” she added. The actress also stated at San Diego Comic-Con, “For Bronwyn, she is a healer. But she taps into her inner lioness and I as an activist, as a longtime human rights activist from my homeland, Iran… I tapped into what I believe women are doing for my homeland.” “And playing with character in sort of liberating and redeeming the Southlanders who back you know, in her ancestors’ days, chose evil over good,” she added. https://twitter.com/i/status/1551302209299591170 - Play Video Can I just add that her character doesn’t exist in the books? Or anywhere in Middle Earth’s lore? Because there weren’t enough characters right? This show is going to be a massive disaster. https://www.breitbart.com/sports/2022/08/03/trans-cyclist-blasts-usa-cycling-banning-him-competition-revoking-medal/ Guys lets end this week on a positive note here by talking about the topic that I love… sports! Trans Cyclist Blasts USA Cycling for Banning Him from Competition, Revoking Medal A transgender cyclist claims that a representative from USA Cycling informed him that he would no longer be allowed to compete in the women’s division and that his spot on the IP (individual pursuit) podium had been revoked. Leia Genis, a 25-year-old man who identifies as a woman, was reportedly stripped of the silver medal he won in the women’s division of USA Cycling and barred from competing in any additional events at the 2022 Junior & Elite Track National Championships. “USA Cycling updated its press release Friday by deleting a reference to Genis and elevating third-place finisher Skyler Espinoza to the runner-up slot,” the Washington Times reported. “Cyclist Elizabeth Stevenson, who placed fourth in the Wednesday competition, was credited as the bronze medalist.” Genis had won silver after finishing second at the Elite Individual Pursuit competition. The transgender cyclist wrote on Instagram, “…as I was preparing for the mass start races, a USA Cycling official informed me that I was no longer allowed to compete and that my place on the IP podium was to be revoked on account of my trans identity. . “6 weeks ago, I was eligible for competition at UCI C1 and C2 races held at the same velodrome and overseen by the same technical director. Yet 6 weeks later, now that I am doing well at nationals, I am suddenly ineligible to compete.” . Genis added, “The transphobia is so blatant it’s almost laughable.” The reason why Genis is unable to compete is due to the UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) changing the testosterone requirements in their transgender policy. According to the new rules put forth on July 1, those declaring themselves to be female must keep their testosterone in serum below 2.5 nanomoles/Liter for at least two years. Previously, the requirement had been twice that high, at 5.0 nanomoles/Liter. And athletes only had to maintain those levels for one year. In other words, legally, racing as a trans cyclist got a lot tougher over the last six weeks. Genis went on to rail about how “frustrating” it is to be a trans competitor in cycling. Though, one might imagine it’s even more frustrating for the female riders who lose to cyclists who are actually men. Still, Genis’ removal from women’s competition is a significant victory for women’s sports. The case involving Genis is just one of many examples showing that sports leagues have begun to stand for women’s rights. Earlier this summer, FINA, the international governing body that presides over competitive swimming, banned males who have undergone puberty from competing in their events. Thanks for tuning into this episode of the CrossPolitic Daily News Brief. If you liked the show, go ahead and share it would ya? If you want to sign up for a club membership, our conference, or for a magazine subscription, you can do all of that at fightlaughfeast.com… and as always, if you want to send me a news story, ask me about our conference, or talk about corporate sponsorships with CrossPolitic, email me at garrison@fightlaughfeast.com. For CrossPolitic news, I’m Garrison Hardie. Have a great day, and Lord bless.

Raheem Kassam and Greg Manz are joined by Jack Posobiec to discuss the latest on the coronavirus pandemic as protests for many causes erupt around the nation. Calling in is Jack Maxey with reports from the protest at the Chinese Embassy. Also calling in is Gavin Wax to discuss his club's protest to Defend the Teddy Roosevelt statue in NYC.